Eighteen European Union (EU) member states have jointly called for a delay and “simplification” of the bloc’s stringent Anti-Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) — one of the EU’s most ambitious environmental policies. The move has sparked debate within Europe and raised concerns among exporting countries, including Vietnam.
Ministers Urge for Flexibility
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In a letter sent to the European Commission, agriculture ministers from Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Sweden warned that the EUDR places an excessive administrative burden on farmers and companies — even in countries with low deforestation risk.
“The Deforestation Regulation should be included in the simplification agenda to ensure coherent implementation across the EU,” the letter stated.
A Controversial Regulation
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), effective since June 2023, aims to prevent imported products from contributing to global deforestation. Affected commodities include beef, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy, and timber — all key exports from countries such as Vietnam.
Under the law, companies must prove their products did not cause deforestation after December 31, 2020. Large and medium-sized firms must comply by December 30, 2025, while smaller companies have an additional six months.
However, the 18 countries argue the rules are disproportionate to their environmental goals and could create excessive financial and compliance burdens, potentially driving businesses out of the EU market.
Environmental Groups Push Back
Environmental organizations such as WWF Europe and Fern have strongly opposed the proposal to delay and simplify the regulation.
“Calling it simplification is misleading — it’s a weakening of the law,” said Anke Schulmeister-Oldenhoveof WWF Europe.
Hannah Mowat of Fern added that referring to monoculture plantations as forests “undermines the spirit of conservation, as tree farms are not real forests.”
Implications for Vietnamese Exporters
Vietnam — a major exporter of coffee, rubber, timber, and increasingly cocoa — is directly affected by the EUDR. Although the law primarily targets deforestation in producing countries, it also enforces strict traceability requirements. Exporters must demonstrate that their goods are not linked to deforestation or illegal land conversion.
If the EU delays or softens enforcement, Vietnamese exporters could gain valuable time to upgrade compliance systems. However, legal uncertainty and uneven implementation across EU member states may still lead to cautious import behavior — potentially slowing Vietnam’s access to the European market.