Stephen Brennan, Vice President – Supply Chain & GPO Procurement UK & Ireland at Avendra International, shares the latest position on the EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR) following the provisional political agreement reached between the Council and the European Parliament in October 2025.

While the regulation entered into force in June 2023, compliance will now apply from 30 December 2026 for large and medium-sized companies and 30 June 2027 for micro and small enterprises, with core requirements unchanged.

The EUDR will have a significant impact on hospitality, foodservice, and catering operators, as many products sourced from suppliers may contain ingredients linked to deforestation.

What is the EUDR?

The EUDR is a key sustainability regulation designed to ensure that products placed on or exported from the EU market do not contribute to deforestation or forest degradation anywhere in the world.

It covers key commodities like cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soy, wood, and rubber, as well as products made from them, including leather, chocolate, tyres, and furniture.

What are the objectives EUDR?

• Reducing Deforestation: Limiting the EU’s contribution to global deforestation by driving the use of sustainable commodities.
• Cutting Carbon Emissions: Lowering emissions from EU consumption and production of these commodities by an estimated 32 million metric tonnes each year.
• Protecting Biodiversity: Ensuring products are sourced from land that hasn’t been recently deforested, helping to preserve ecosystems.

What are the timelines?

The EUDR entered into force on 29 June 2023, but the main compliance deadlines have been revised following a provisional political agreement in December 2025.

This update aims to give businesses and authorities additional time to prepare, address technical challenges linked to the EU’s information system, and reduce administrative complexity - while maintaining the regulation’s core environmental objectives.

The updated timelines are:

• Large and medium companies must comply starting 30 December 2026.
• Micro and small businesses have until 30 June 2027.
• Timber products produced before 29 June 2023 remain subject to the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) until 31 December 2027; for other products and timber produced after that date, the EUTR will be repealed when the EUDR applies.

How the EU supports businesses

To support businesses in complying with the EUDR, the EU allows annual due diligence statements instead of reporting on a shipment-by-shipment basis and permits group submissions where representatives file on behalf of multiple entities. The EU Forest Observatory provides data to enhance transparency and support traceability.

Update for SMEs: Following the latest provisional agreement, the European Commission is planning additional simplification reviews, with a particular focus on reducing administrative burdens for small and medium-sized enterprises

How Avendra International will support our clients?

Our procurement and supply chain teams at Avendra International, are currently fully engaged with our supply base to ensure all suppliers of “in scope” products are preparing to be compliant, and ready to meet their responsibility come January 1^st 2026.

Learn more.

Visit the EU website for official guidance, compliance requirements and the latest updates on the Deforestation-Free Products.

If you want to learn more about these changes or would like support ensuring your supply chain is compliant with the new legislation, reach out to us for guidance: Hello_Europe@avendra.com.