Global food companies Ferrero, Mars and Nestlé, together with environmental groups, have urged the European Commission not to use IT issues as a pretext to reopen, delay or tweak the EU’s deforestation rules (EUDR), according to a letter sent on Thursday to the EU’s environment chief, Jessika Roswall.
The coalition of 19 – including food producers, environmental and conservation NGOs, and sustainable certification schemes – warned that the delay announced last week by the Commission, which would push enforcement back to December 2026, “puts at risk the preservation of forests worldwide” and also “undermines trust in Europe’s regulatory commitments.”
On Wednesday, Roswall told Euractiv that there is still no clear timeline for when the proposal to delay the rules would be officially tabled.
“We deeply regret that a technical IT issue risks jeopardising the EUDR’s core objectives and entry into force, three months before the implementation deadline for companies,” the letter stated.
The signatories stressed that companies have already been “actively preparing and investing in compliance.” “These efforts have been made in good faith that the European legislative framework and timeline were reliable,” they said.
Grace periods instead of delay
Rather than postponing the law, the coalition argued that the Commission should grant grace periods of up to six months and suspend fines if companies face technical obstacles.
They warned that reopening the legislation would trigger fresh negotiations with the Council and Parliament, where lawmakers are expected to push for additional changes – notably to exempt EU foresters and farmers.
“We urge the European Commission to provide clarity on its intended next steps as soon as possible to avoid additional uncertainty. Companies need to know what to prepare for, and by when,” the letter continued.
As first reported by Euractiv, Nestlé and fellow food giant Mondelēz had been at odds over the implementation of the EUDR earlier this year, with the latter pushing for a one-year delay.
(adm, aw)