EU deforestation law: vote on fast-tracking simplification proposal
MEPs will decide whether to use the urgency procedure to simplify the EU deforestation law, which ensures products sold in the EU are not sourced from deforested land.
The new regulation, adopted by Parliament on 19 April 2023, aims to fight climate change and biodiversity loss by preventing deforestation related to the EU consumption of cocoa, coffee, palm-oil, soya, wood, rubber, charcoal, printed paper, and cattle. In force since 29 June 2023, the regulation’s provisions are set to apply from 30 December 2025 to large companies and from 30 June 2026 to micro and small enterprises, following a decision in 2024 to postpone these dates by one year.
Parliament will vote on Thursday on a proposal to fast-track a new proposal by the Commission which includes the possibility to reduce obligations for micro and small primary operators from low-risk countries as well as operators and traders that commercialise these products once they have been placed on the EU market.
If plenary decides to apply the urgent procedure, MEPs will vote on the content of the file during the 24-27 November plenary session in Strasbourg.
Background
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 420 million hectares of forest — an area larger than the EU — were lost to deforestation between 1990 and 2020. EU consumption represents around 10% of global deforestation. Palm oil and soya account for more than two-thirds of this.
Procedure: Ordinary legislative procedure, first reading
Procedure code: 2025/0329(COD)
Vote: Thursday 13 November