New European Union Provisions on Deforestation-Free Products

The European Commission has provided information on the implementation of the European Union Deforestation Regulation, known as the EUDR. Its purpose is to ensure that certain commodities placed on the European market do not contribute to deforestation or forest degradation. The Regulation seeks to promote more sustainable supply chains and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss.

The Regulation covers products associated with coffee, cattle, cocoa, oil palm, rubber, soy and wood, as well as certain derived products, including leather, chocolate, tyres and furniture. Therefore, these provisions are particularly relevant to companies exporting these goods or participating as suppliers in supply chains serving the European market.

To enter the European Union market, operators must demonstrate that their products are deforestation-free, were produced in accordance with the legislation of the country of origin and are supported by the corresponding due diligence statement. The required information includes the traceability and geolocation of the plots of land where the goods were produced, in order to verify that they do not originate from land deforested after 31 December 2020.

These provisions will begin to apply on 30 December 2026 for large and medium-sized operators, while the application date for micro and small operators will be 30 June 2027. For micro and small enterprises that were already covered by the European Union Timber Regulation, the application date will be 30 December 2026.

Although the main obligations apply to operators and traders that place or make products available on the European Union market, Costa Rican exporting companies may need to provide their buyers with information on suppliers, production areas, traceability and compliance with national legislation. Companies are therefore encouraged to review their supply chains in advance and coordinate with European importers regarding the data and documents that will be required.

For complete information, please consult the offiacial publication in the European Commission