EUDR for Wood

The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is the new initiative to limit deforestation caused by forestry and agricultural activities all over the world.

By imposing strict requirements on operators and traders, it builds on the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR). The critical difference between previous timber regulation and EUDR is the requirement to prove a product is ‘deforestation-free’ and not just sourced legally. This means, for example, a raw material may have been legally harvested in its country of origin according to local laws but could still be considered a high risk of deforestation.

The EUDR for Wood will see new mandatory due diligence requirements for EU companies, massively expanding upon the scope of, and eventually replacing, the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR). Establishes obligations for companies producing, processing, and marketing wood products, including among others, derivates like wooden furniture or printed books.

EUDR for Wood requires to certify a commodity as deforestation-free as follows:

• Collect GPS data on the production area.
• Pass on pertinent information to the business partners.
• Respect land use and labor rights.

Producers, importers, and traders of the EUDR Wood market need to ensure by a due diligence statement the risk of non-compliance is small following 3 steps:

• Collect evidence that the product is deforestation-free.
• Assess risks of non-compliance.
• If risks have been identified, take action to mitigate them.