EU Parliament Approves Simpler EUDR Rules

On 20 November 2025, the European Parliament adopted a package of simplification measures for the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

The EUDR aims to ensure that certain commodities and derived products placed on the EU market — such as cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soy, wood, rubber, cattle products and their derivatives — do not come from land deforested after 31 December 2020.

These rules were originally scheduled to apply from 30 December 2024 for medium/large operators, and from 30 June 2025 for small operators.

What’s new: Delay + Simplified Compliance

Thanks to the Parliament’s recent decision:

• All companies now get an extra year to comply. The new deadlines are 30 December 2026 for medium/large operators and 30 June 2027 for micro and small enterprises.

• The “due diligence” burden — i.e. the requirement to submit compliance statements — will be reduced. In particular: the responsibility to submit a due diligence statement goes only to those operators/importers who first place the product on the EU market. Downstream traders or resellers no longer need to produce separate statements — they only need to pass along the reference number of the original compliance statement.

• Micro and small primary operators exporting or supplying relevant commodities may be allowed to submit a one-off simplified declaration instead of a full-scale due diligence dossier.

In short: the intent is to ease administrative burden, reduce duplication of paperwork down the chain, and allow smaller suppliers more time — without diluting the core objective of ensuring products are “deforestation-free.”

What this means for FMCG companies & their supply-chain partners

For many FMCG companies — especially those sourcing commodities like palm oil, soy, cocoa, coffee, wood-based packaging, or importing timber or natural-rubber ingredients — this new timetable and simplification offer some breathing room. Practically speaking:

• More time to map supply chains, collect metadata (e.g. geolocation of land plots), and organise verification documentation

• Reduced administrative burden for distributors, wholesalers or retailers further down the supply chain, as compliance paperwork may be limited to first-importers or first-market-placers

• More realistic participation by smaller suppliers or producers (e.g. small farms, small producers of raw materials) thanks to simplified requirements — which may help preserve supply-chain flexibility

• For consumers and brands alike: continued commitment to deforestation-free sourcing, albeit with smoother implementation

What companies should do now

Given the new developments, FMCG-related businesses should:

• Review their supply chains: identify which commodities and suppliers fall under the EUDR scope (palm oil, soy, cocoa, coffee, timber, rubber, cattle-derived products, etc.)

• Map who is first placing products on the EU market — compliance duties will rest on them

• Collect necessary data early (e.g. origin, geolocation, production compliance) to avoid bottlenecks closer to the deadline

• Consider engaging with suppliers (especially small or micro suppliers) to ensure their documentation complies, or coordinate for simplified declarations

In doing so, firms will position themselves well for compliance — while maintaining business continuity and supply-chain resilience.

Why Telema cares — and how we can help

As your EDI / supply-chain data partner, Telema recognises that many of our customers operate in FMCG or adjacent sectors — and rely on complex, cross-border supply chains. The changes to EU regulation underscore the growing importance of traceability, data collection, and compliance documentation.

If you are evaluating how best to adapt — whether it’s restructuring master-data flows, implementing traceability fields, or ensuring supply-chain transparency — Telema is ready to support you.

Please get in touch if you’d like to review how EUDR may impact your supply-chain processes and what steps to take to prepare.