We’ve been advising everyone not to put off EUDR (EU Zero-Deforestation Regulation) compliance until next year. Recently, questions in our backend have become even more frequent: "Will there be an extension?"...
Today, we’ve compiled these high-frequency questions into Q&As—all practical insights. After reading, you’ll no longer be confused!
1. Don’t Bank on an Extension!
Source of the "extension" news: On October 21, 2025, the European Commission issued a press release in Brussels, formally putting forward a targeted amendment proposal for the EU Zero-Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The proposed extension rules are as follows:
● Micro and small enterprises (MSEs): The EUDR will officially enter into force on December 30, 2026 (delayed by six months from the original plan, providing an additional six months of preparation time);
● Medium and large enterprises: The EUDR’s entry into force date remains December 30, 2025, but to ensure the phased implementation of the rules, a six-month grace period will be granted for verification and enforcement.
Note: The above is only a proposal! Until formally approved by the European Parliament and the Council, the original deadline remains legally binding. Most EU customers still request compliance documents in accordance with the original plan. Handling compliance early can help you avoid the long wait during the peak application period next year—don’t regret it when orders fall through!
2. Do lands free of deforestation still need to meet legality requirements?
Yes! To sell relevant commodities in the EU or export them from the EU, they must be produced in accordance with the legal framework of the country of origin, as required by Article 3(b) of the Regulation (legality requirement). Additionally, all three obligations under Article 3 must be fulfilled:
① Legality requirement;
② Zero-deforestation requirement;
③ Submission of a Due Diligence Statement (DDS).
3. In which cases can legislation be considered relevant even if it is unrelated to EUDR’s goal of "stopping deforestation and forest degradation"?
Legislation is relevant as long as it is related to the "legal status of the production area"—for example, laws that affect the legal status of the production region.
This includes but is not limited to trade laws and customs laws. Even if their core purpose does not involve the legal status of the production area, they are still considered relevant if they specifically target the agricultural or timber industry (e.g., customs requiring submission of specific agricultural/forestry documents, or relevant provisions in the producing country’s trade regulations).
4. If a product is processed in multiple countries (e.g., cocoa beans produced in Country A → cocoa powder made in Country B → chocolate reprocessed in Country C), which country’s legality requirements apply?
Only Country A (the country of production)! Because Country A is the "country of production," legality requirements only cover the legal provisions of Country A and have nothing to do with the processing stages in Countries B and C.
5. Do non-EU countries need to comply with EUDR’s legal obligations?
No! It does not apply. EUDR’s legal obligations only target two types of entities: ① Operators and traders (Chapter 2 of the Regulation); ② EU member states and competent authorities (Chapter 3 of the Regulation).
However, many countries around the world have taken supporting actions, such as strengthening deforestation-free supply chains and improving commodity traceability systems. These measures can help enterprises better meet EUDR compliance requirements.
Easily Navigate EUDR Compliance
Faced with the complex rules and tight deadlines of EUDR, many enterprises may feel confused: not sure where to start with due diligence? Unclear how to trace the origin of commodities? Worried that cumbersome compliance processes will affect business progress?Don’t worry! SKYCO2 provides enterprises with end-to-end compliance services for the EU Zero-Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). We help you address all bottlenecks in the compliance process, assist your enterprise in seamlessly meeting EU market access requirements, and enable you to calmly navigate EUDR while firmly seizing market opportunities!If your enterprise intends to prepare for EUDR in advance, please feel free to contact us at any time, and let our professional team develop a tailor-made compliance plan for you.