On Wednesday 10 December, the Committee of Member States’ Representatives to the EU (Coreper) approved the text resulting from a compromise with the European Parliament on a targeted revision of the EU regulation on ‘zero deforestation’ products. The European Parliament is due to vote on this text on Wednesday 17 December in Strasbourg (see EUROPE 13766/10).
The co-legislators decided to postpone the date of application of the regulation for all operators until 30 December 2026, with an additional six months for micro and small operators.
The obligation and responsibility for submitting the due diligence statement will rest exclusively with operators who place the product on the market for the first time.
The co-legislators also agreed to remove certain printed products (books, newspapers and printed images) from the scope of the regulation.
The European Commission will present a report, by 30 April 2026, which should assess the administrative burden inherent in the Regulation, particularly for small operators, and propose ways of remedying the problems identified, including through guidelines and improvements to the information system. This report may, if necessary, be accompanied by a legislative proposal. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)