EUDR New Provisions: Guidance Document for Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 on deforestation-free products

The European Commission's Guidance Document published on August 12, 2025, provides non-binding guidelines to facilitate harmonized implementation of Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 on deforestation-free products (EUDR). This instrument clarifies fundamental aspects of the Regulation including definitions of placing on the market, export, due diligence, agricultural use, and the role of certification schemes, establishing that covered products (wood, cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, and soya) can only be marketed or exported in the EU if they are deforestation-free after December 31, 2020, and were produced legally. The document, developed in cooperation with Member State representatives, guides operators, traders, competent authorities, and national courts on the traceability, geolocation, risk assessment, and mitigation requirements necessary to ensure supply chains do not contribute to deforestation or forest degradation. The second edition improves clarity on application timelines (December 30, 2025, for large and medium enterprises, June 30, 2026, for micro and small enterprises), precision of provisions, and facilitation of efficient due diligence.