We have been hearing relatively little about the EUDR lately, but that does not mean nothing is happening.

Behind the scenes, the regulation is being further refined and clarified. The latest update of the ‘EUDR supply chain infographics’ (third edition) was published a few weeks ago and shows that, despite all the delays, the core principle remains unchanged.

Only deforestation free products are allowed to enter the EU market.

An important insight from the document is that companies must clearly understand their role within the supply chain. This role determines what is expected of them and which obligations apply. Full due diligence obligations rest with upstream operators, while downstream parties are primarily responsible for traceability and the transfer of information. This significantly improves the position of smaller companies, as conducting full due diligence investigations is often not feasible for them and has therefore faced considerable resistance.

The continued importance of full supply chain control is further emphasised by the clear statement in the document that mixing compliant and non compliant raw materials is not permitted. Traceability down to plot level remains the standard.

https://environment.ec.europa.eu/publications/eudr-supply-chain-infographics-3rd-edition_en