Overview
- Member states approved a mandate to push main EUDR obligations to the end of 2026 for medium and large operators, with longer timelines for small firms.
- Under the Council plan, only the first operators placing goods on the EU market would file due‑diligence statements, removing separate filings for downstream traders.
- The mandate inserts an April review clause that could open the door to further changes before the rules take effect.
- Germany and Austria drove the push to simplify and postpone, while Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain did not back the mandate, highlighting divisions among capitals.
- Environmental groups condemned the move as weakening the law, and companies including Ferrero and Nestlé warned that further delay deepens legal and market uncertainty as COP30 spotlights the EU’s climate stance.