EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR): what it means for logistics and import

Short answer: The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR, Regulation (EU) 2023/1115) prohibits placing seven commodities and their derived products on the EU market — or exporting them — if they come from land deforested or degraded after 31 December 2020. Anyone who imports or trades these goods must be able to prove this through a due diligence statement containing geolocation data. For large and medium operators the regulation applies from 30 December 2026.

What the EUDR requires

The EUDR replaces the EU Timber Regulation and is considerably broader. According to the European Commission it covers seven commodities: cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy and wood, plus derived products such as leather, chocolate, tyres and furniture. The core obligation is that operators and traders must be able to prove the products do not originate from recently deforested land and do not contribute to forest degradation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1115).

The regulation applies directly — unlike a directive it requires no national transposition. The application dates have been postponed more than once. Following a postponement through Regulation (EU) 2025/2650 (December 2025), the main obligations apply to large and medium operators from 30 December 2026 and to natural persons, micro and small enterprises from 30 June 2027.

Why it matters for logistics and import

The obligation attaches to placing the goods on the market, which affects the entire import chain. At its centre is the due diligence statement: operators gather information on the origin, including the geolocation of the plots where the commodity was produced, and assess the risk before placing the goods on the EU market or exporting them.

For logistics and procurement this means origin and geolocation data must be available along the chain, documentation must be linked to the shipment and the customs process, and supplier information must arrive in time. The Commission has announced an information system through which due diligence statements are submitted; consult the Commission's main source page for its current operation and status.

What it means for you

• Do you import one of the seven commodities or a derived product? Map

where you sit in the chain (operator or trader) and which application date applies to you.

• Start on origin data early. Geolocation and proof of deforestation-free

production come from suppliers further up the chain; arranging this takes lead time.

• Unsure about scope or exact dates? Rely on the official Commission page

and the consolidated text on EUR-Lex, as application dates and implementation details have been amended.

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