When the European Union announces its plans to implement the new European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) before yearend, many industry officials expressed significant concerns. Yesterday, November 14, the European Parliament announced its plans to revive key aspects of the regulations.
The European Commission also revised the Ecodesign Directive, which will become a regulation under the name ESPR. The ESPR sit in a jungle of regulations and plans – all part of the European Green Deal.
'The overall goal is more environmentally and climatically sustainable products in the EU. Eventually, all product types will be covered by the new legislation. European companies only use 12% recycled materials in their current production. The plan is to make the EU more circular and reduce the high material consumption - 14 tons/capita on average. In Denmark, the figure is 25 tons/capita!
Around 10 million tons of furniture waste is produced annually in the EU. Therefore, the furniture industry is one of the priority areas - right after textiles, for which the Commission is in the process of drafting detailed legislation. The regulation is only a framework law, which allows the Commission to draw up delegated acts to define and describe both cross-cutting and product-specific rules. The work on furniture will start in 2025. More specifically, the EU wants to make products more durable, reliable, recyclable and easier to use,' shares the Danish Træ- og Møbelindustrien.
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The German Timber Industry Association (HDH) is among those welcoming the decision by the European Parliament to revise aspects of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and to postpone its implementation by one year. 'Particularly, the introduction of a non-risk category spares domestic companies and forest owners from enormous bureaucratic burdens. The goal of the EUDR is to prevent deforestation and exploitation, not to create new bureaucratic positions,' explains HDH President Johannes Schwörer.
The EU Deforestation Regulation was originally set to take effect on December 30, 2024. Following widespread criticism from experts, businesses, associations, forest owners, and third countries, the European Commission proposed on October 2 to delay its implementation by a year. The European Parliament's decision to postpone and revise some of the regulations is not yet legally binding. The resolution still needs to be confirmed by the member states.
'Several of the amendments appear to be positive and make it easier for our members. Now we have to follow the further process closely to get clarity on what the next step will be,' says Robin Ljungar, head of sustainability at TMF.
Before Thursday's vote, the EPP parliamentary group, the European People's Party—which includes Sweden's Moderate Party and the Christian Democrats—had proposed a significant number of amendments to the EUDR, creating some uncertainty about how the legislation would look after the vote.
Once the dust settled, it was clear that the legislation would be postponed by one year, as proposed by the Commission. Additionally, a total of eight amendments were approved. Among other things, it appears that a fourth country category, 'no risk', will be introduced—a category for countries where the risk of deforestation is considered minimal or non-existent. Countries in this category are likely to face lighter requirements under the regulation.
'Provided that Sweden falls into the no risk category, we consider this very positive. It would make things easier for Swedish stakeholders and reduce administrative burdens,' Robin continues.
The vote itself was dramatic, but ultimately, the Commission's proposal, along with the eight amendments, was passed with a clear majority. In the near future, further negotiations within EU institutions will be needed to finalize a compromise proposal. In other words, the proposed 12-month delay in the application of the EUDR is not yet finalised or ready for implementation.