A majority of EU member states have requested further modifications to the bloc’s anti-deforestation regulation, citing concerns over the practical and economic implications for domestic producers.
A letter addressed to the European Commission, seen by Reuters, reveals that 18 of the EU’s 27 agriculture ministers are pressing for more flexibility in the enforcement of the law.
The regulation, set to come into force in December 2025, is the first of its kind globally. It mandates that companies placing products such as soy, beef, palm oil, and other commodities on the EU market must prove that their supply chains have not contributed to deforestation. The measure aims to reduce the EU’s role in global forest loss, which is a major driver of climate change due to the carbon-storage capacity of forests.
The legislation has already faced delays. Originally scheduled to take effect in 2024, its implementation was postponed by one year following strong objections from major trading partners, including the United States, as well as from within the EU. Reporting requirements were also scaled back during earlier negotiations.
The new letter, dated Monday, requests that the rules not be enforced on countries classified as having a low risk of deforestation. In such cases, national controls should be deemed sufficient. “Excessive and redundant due diligence requirements should be removed in countries where agricultural expansion is not significantly reducing the forest area,” the ministers wrote.
The letter was signed by ministers from Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Sweden. Notably, larger agricultural producers such as France, Germany, and Spain did not join the appeal.
Among the key concerns raised is the cost of compliance for domestic producers. The ministers argue that the law’s strict traceability obligations could force businesses to shift operations outside the EU to avoid regulatory burdens. “The full traceability within the EU-market required for all commodities by the regulation will be extremely difficult, if not impossible for some of them,” the letter states.
The scope of the regulation includes not only imports but also goods exported from the EU. This aspect has intensified worries among member states that European producers may find themselves at a competitive disadvantage compared to firms in less regulated markets.
The ministers have called on the Commission to consider a further delay in the law’s implementation, and to develop proposals to simplify its requirements. At the time of publication, the Commission had not responded to a request for comment.
The EU’s anti-deforestation regulation is intended to reduce the bloc’s contribution to the estimated 10% of global deforestation linked to its consumption of imported products. Its introduction follows mounting pressure from environmental groups and international bodies to address the environmental impact of European trade practices.
However, recent political trends across the EU suggest a diminishing appetite for policies perceived to impose additional costs on domestic industries. While environmental concerns remain present in public discourse, several governments have expressed caution over new climate-related regulations amid broader economic uncertainty.
Earlier this year, the Commission already softened parts of the law in response to criticism, adjusting some of the verification processes to be less burdensome. Despite these changes, resistance from both EU governments and trading partners has persisted.
Observers note that the letter signals a broader challenge for EU environmental policymaking: how to balance climate goals with economic competitiveness, especially in agriculture. The list of signatories includes countries from both eastern and western Europe, indicating a geographically broad base of concern.
The EU’s ambition to play a leading role in global environmental governance has come under strain in recent months, as debates intensify over the cost and pace of the green transition. The deforestation law now stands as a test case for the bloc’s ability to implement environmental legislation while maintaining internal cohesion and trade competitiveness.
