• Nestlé, NGOs urge against delay, propose grace period instead
• EU cites technical hurdles, trading partner readiness for 2026 push
• Delay could offer African cocoa exporters crucial preparation time

Several major multinational food companies, including Nestlé, Olam Agri, and Ferrero, along with sustainable certification programs like Fair Trade Advocacy Office and environmental NGOs, on Thursday, Oct. 2, called on the European Union to stick to its original December 2025 implementation deadline for a landmark anti-deforestation law.

In a letter to European Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall, the 19 signatories argued that a rumored one-year delay of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) to December 2026 "puts at risk the preservation of forests worldwide" and "undermines trust in Europe’s regulatory commitments," according to Euractiv, which obtained a copy of the letter.

Grace period not postponement

The Commissioner had indicated on Sept. 23 that the European Commission (EC) was seeking a fresh one-year postponement. The EUDR is designed to bar imports of commodities such as cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy, timber, and cattle products if they originate from recently deforested land.

Roswall cited the need for more time to prepare the EU's computerized monitoring system for the significant volume of information required for the law's effective enforcement. Importing companies must provide the geographical coordinates and satellite images of the land where their supplies originate to guarantee the products are deforestation-free.

During an Oct. 1 meeting at the European Parliament, Roswall explained that technical issues hindering the application of the new rules could not be resolved before the end of the year. The law's enforcement was already delayed once from its initial late 2024 target to Dec. 30, 2025, following pressure from trading partners, including the United States, Brazil, and Indonesia, and due to the EC’s concerns over the lack of preparedness of international partners to meet the requirements within the set timeframe.

The signatories of the letter countered that companies have already "actively preparing and investing in compliance with the current provisions of the EUDR." They suggested the EC grant grace periods of up to six months and suspend fines in the event of technical obstacles, rather than postponing the enforcement of the law.

Delay Could Benefit African Exporters

However, the prospect of a new one-year delay for the EUDR would provide African countries that export the affected commodities more time to improve their national traceability strategies in cooperation with foreign sourcing companies. Cocoa-producing nations had already requested an additional two years from the EU to comply with the new regulation in a declaration signed in Abidjan in late September 2024.

A Commonwealth report published in April 2025 estimated that sub-Saharan Africa could lose up to $11 billion annually in agricultural commodity export revenue once the EUDR takes effect. The report specified that smallholder farmers are the most vulnerable, as they lack the resources to cover the costs associated with certification, control, and supply chain traceability. Exporting companies could also face reduced profits if they fail to comply with the EU's new regulations.

Walid Kéfi