The EU Deforestation and Degradation Free Import and Export Regulation (EUDR) requires that certain agricultural products imported into the EU market or exported from the EU are deforestation and (in the case of wood) deforestation free as of 31 December 2020 and are legal under relevant national law.
At the workshop "Technical exchange on EUDR and value chains that do not cause deforestation and forest degradation" held on November 15, Mr. To Viet Chau - Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development - emphasized: "Although the European Commission (EC) has decided to postpone the application of EUDR, Vietnam has not delayed its preparation and adaptation to the requirements of this regulation. This demonstrates Vietnam's strong commitment to building sustainable, deforestation-free supply chains that meet international standards.
This initiative will help Vietnam be ready to meet the requirements of the EUDR, thereby strengthening its position as a responsible, transparent and sustainable agricultural supplier in the international market.”
Representative of the EU Delegation to Vietnam, Dr. Rui Ludovino, affirmed that in order to ensure the effective and legally transparent implementation of the EUDR, this regulation, originally scheduled to apply from December 2024, can now be delayed to December 2025 for large enterprises and June 2026 for small and medium enterprises.
“With the proposal to extend the preparation period by 12 months, the EU wants to create conditions for all businesses, third countries and other stakeholders to have more time to prepare for the implementation of the EUDR,” said Dr. Rui Ludovino.
Given the developments in the EUDR, the pressing timetable and the diversity of international stakeholders, the Commission considers that a 12-month extension is a balanced solution that will allow businesses around the world to implement the system smoothly from the start. This extension proposal would not change the objective or content of the law, as agreed by EU lawmakers.
The EU is committed to continuing to support stakeholders in Vietnam by providing the tools and information needed to understand the EUDR - a key element in the global effort to reduce deforestation and forest degradation.
The EU will use this time to step up its support to third countries and other partners, while continuing to implement existing dialogue and cooperation projects, focusing on legality, traceability, and the inclusion of smallholders, among other important elements.
Through the “EUDR Engagement Project”, the EU Delegation to Vietnam has been working closely with Vietnamese partners to facilitate dialogue on EUDR topics. The Vietnamese Government, including central and local authorities, is also actively preparing and supporting stakeholders to strengthen legal and deforestation-free supply chains.
