The European Union (EU) has postponed the enforcement of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) but Vietnam will not delay its preparation and adaptation progress to the regulation’s requirements, according to Mr. To Viet Chau, deputy director general of the Department of International Cooperation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Under the EUDR, certain agricultural products imported into or exported from the EU must not lead to deforestation or, in the case of wood, forest degradation after December 31, 2020. All products must also adhere to relevant national laws.

The EUDR, initially scheduled to take effect in December 2024, has been postponed to December 2025 for large enterprises and June 2026 for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), according to Dr Rui Ludovino, first counsellor of Climate Action, Environment, Employment and Social Policies at the EU delegation to Vietnam.

The move is aimed at ensuring smooth and consistent compliance across global supply chains. However, the extension will not alter the law’s objectives or key provisions, which were approved by EU legislators, he said at a technical workshop held on November 15 in Hanoi on EUDR and deforestation-free value chains.

"With the proposed extra 12 months of preparation, the EU wants to make sure that all businesses, third countries and other stakeholders have more time to prepare and get ready for EUDR implementation,” he said.