On 23 September, the European Commission announced its intention to postpone the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by one year, from 30 December 2025 to 30 December 2026. It is important to note that this is an intention to delay, not a formal postponement, withdrawal or amendment of the regulation.

This development follows concerns about the readiness of the IT infrastructure required to support the regulation’s compliance framework. UKFT is closely monitoring the situation and continues to support members in scope with practical guidance and resources to prepare for EUDR compliance.

What is the EUDR?

The EUDR aims to reduce deforestation linked to products placed on or exported from the EU market. A key component is the creation of a dedicated IT system to manage data exchanges and compliance interactions between economic operators, both within and outside the EU.

Over the past year, the Commission has worked with stakeholders to build this system. However, revised projections around transaction volumes, operator interactions, package imports, and internal data checks have raised concerns about potential system overload.

Why the delay?

If launched as originally planned on 30^th December 2025 (following the first postponement from 30^thDecember 2024), the system could face severe bottlenecks, affecting

• Operator registration
• Submission of due diligence statements
• Customs reporting
• Data verification and traceability

These disruptions could negatively impact both EU and non-EU businesses. To avoid such risks, the Commission has announced its intention to delay the regulation’s entry into application, allowing more time to reinforce and test the IT infrastructure.

What this means for UK businesses

While the delay is not yet formalised, UKFT advises members to stay updated via UKFT on developments of the postponement and potentially pause preparations for EUDR compliance for 30^th December 2025. UKFT advises to remain mindful that the regulation remains in force at this stage, and businesses could use this extended timeframe to:

• Review supply chain documentation
• Strengthen traceability systems
• Understand due diligence requirements

UKFT has developed a suite of practical guides and resources to help members navigate EUDR obligations. These include step-by-step compliance guides, supplier templates, and webinar recordings.

Next steps

UKFT will provide updates as the Commission’s intention progresses through formal channels. In the meantime, members are encouraged to stay updated via UKFT and request UKFT’s support resources.

For access to UKFT’s EUDR resources or to speak with our compliance team, please contact compliance@ukft.org

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