The Fair Trade Advocacy Office (FTAO) acknowledges the European Commission’s targeted measures to ensure the timely implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation and welcomes the introduction of transitional periods to guarantee a smooth transition, instead of the previously announced full delay, a sign that the voices of civil society have been heard.

Transitional arrangements can play a constructive role in helping producers and companies adapt, but the FTAO warns that they must not become an excuse to slow down progress towards deforestation-free supply chains. At a time when decisive action is urgently needed, any further postponement risks undermining the EU’s credibility, fuelling legal uncertainty for producers and businesses, and weakening the Union’s commitment to ending deforestation and building sustainable value chains. 

While the Commission’s proposal introduces what it calls "targeted simplifications", such as removing due diligence obligations for downstream operators and traders, and exempting micro and small primary operators from low-risk countries who sell directly into the EU, these changes are unlikely to benefit the vast majority of smallholder farmers outside the EU. In reality, most micro and small operators in producing countries do not sell directly to the EU, making this exemption largely symbolic and disconnected from the actual structure of global supply chains.

While producers face ongoing challenges and need further financial and non-financial support, they stand behind the objectives of the EUDR and want to move forward with implementation. Even as a transitional period is put into place, efforts to support smallholders outside the EU must continue to address deforestation at its root. This means ensuring that operators actively support their suppliers and that the EU strengthens partnerships with producing countries to help them comply through sustainable farming and forestry practices, as envisaged under Article 30 of the Regulation.

The FTAO warns that reopening the legislative text and introducing modifications would be deeply regrettable, as it would only boost legal uncertainty and roll back progress made in global efforts to tackle deforestation. We urge co-legislators to find alternatives that preserve the integrity of the EUDR. If necessary, technical difficulties should be recognised as a case of force majeure, allowing for a temporary suspension of controls and sanctions. Crucially, companies must assume fair responsibility toward their cooperative suppliers, ensuring that the burden of compliance is not unfairly shifted onto producers. 

The Fair Trade Movement has long been a steadfast defender of the EUDR, recognising it as a crucial tool to ensure that products placed on the EU market are not linked to deforestation or forest degradation. However, strengthening the EUDR means shifting the focus from producer readiness to supply chain responsibility, with operators and commercial partners playing an active role in supporting compliance. As the proposal is negotiated by co-legislators, the FTAO stresses the need that any adjustments to its timeline must be strictly limited and avoid reopening the text for further modifications. Doing so would weaken the regulation and jeopardise its objectives.  

The FTAO urges the EU co-legislators to uphold their commitment to tackling global deforestation and accompany producers in the transition. Only with a fair, timely and well-supported implementation can the EUDR achieve its purpose: protecting forests, securing livelihoods, and promoting sustainable trade.

Get in touch: 

For more information, please contact Virginia Enssle, International and Institutional Manager at the FTAO, at enssle@fairtrade-advocacy.org