The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) aims to ensure that products derived from certain commodities (cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soya, wood) that are placed on the EU market or exported from the EU have not caused deforestation or forest degradation during their production.
The EUDR will enter into application on 30 December 2026.
EUDR latest updates
The key changes concerning the timeline and content agreed in December 2025 are:
- Extension of the application date for all operators until 30 December 2026, with an extra six-month cushion for micro and small operators. (Note: For micro and small operators already covered by the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) the entry into application will be 30 December 2026.)
- The obligation and responsibility to submit the required Due Diligence Statement will fall exclusively on the operators who first place the product on the EU-market.
- Only the first downstream operator in the supply chain will be responsible for collecting and retaining the DDS Reference Number(s) of the initial DDS(s), rather than passing it/them on further down the supply chain.
- Certain printed products (such as books, newspapers and printed pictures) were removed from the initial scope of the regulation. (Refer EUDR Annex I)
What is the EUDR, and why does it matter?
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) aims to minimise the EU’s contribution to deforestation and forest degradation worldwide, thereby helping to reduce global deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss.
As well as wood and woodfibre-based products, it applies to a wide range of relevant commodities including cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber and soya – and products made from them.
The EUDR applies to all trade within and between the 27 EU member states, as well as to exports from and imports to the EU.
The initial EUDR (No 2023/1115) entered into force on 29 June 2023, and its main provisions were to apply from 30 December 2025 onwards. The new regulation (No 2025/2650) agreed in December 2025 amends certain key obligations of operators and traders covered by the provisions of the EUDR.
Under the revised framework, the obligation to submit an EUDR Due Diligence Statement lies solely with the operator who first places a product on the EU market. The first downstream operator must collect and retain the DDS Reference Number of this statement, while actors further down the supply chain are not required to carry out additional due diligence procedures.
How is Sappi preparing for the EUDR?
All Sappi Europe's mills were prepared to be fully EUDR-compliant by December 2025. We have been working closely with our wood and pulp suppliers, as well as our customers, to ensure complete supply chain traceability throughout our value chain. Around 80% of our wood-based raw materials are sourced within Europe – primarily from Austria, Finland and Germany – through long-established suppliers and partners.
On 04 May 2026, the European Commission published the EUDR Simplification review, including the following documents:
- Updated EUDR FAQs and Guidance documents;
- A draft Delegated Act on the product scope, now open for a four-week public feedback period, accompanied by a Staff Working Document with the methodology underpinning the proposed changes;
- A report to the European Parliament and the Council;
- A draft Implementing Act governing the Information System, to be sent to representatives of the member states in the EUDR Committee.
Sappi is now analysing and assessing the impact of the revised EUDR regulation on our EUDR compliance solution and relevant processes and procedures. We will continue informing our customers about our EUDR preparations and will share more information as soon as we have completed an assessment on the impact of the proposed changes on the content and timeline of the entry into application.
Sappi Europe’s existing due diligence system will be extended to cover the requirements of the EUDR. EUDR-affected supply chains for Sappi’s operations in South Africa and North America will be able to provide customers with the necessary information upon request.
Sappi’s EUDR preparations are not taking place in isolation. We have been actively involved in sector-wide collaboration – working through organisations such as Cepi (Confederation of European Paper Industries) and national industry associations to help shape industry-wide solutions and approaches. This work continues.