Implementation of EU Deforestation Regulation Likely to be Delayed, Report Says

The EUDR, designed to restrict imports of certain products sourced from deforested areas, was originally scheduled to come into effect on December 30, 2025.

Bengaluru: Indian coffee exporters are set to get additional time to prepare for the European Union’s proposed Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), as the European Commission plans to postpone its implementation by another year due to technical challenges, according to reports.

The EUDR, designed to restrict imports of certain products sourced from deforested areas, was originally scheduled to come into effect on December 30, 2025. It had already been postponed once. Under the regulation, companies exporting commodities such as coffee, cocoa, and their derivative products to EU markets must carry out detailed deforestation assessments, conduct risk evaluations, and implement mitigation measures to ensure their products have not originated from deforested regions since December 31, 2020. India has recently been classified as a low-risk country under the framework.

Speaking on the delay, Jessika Roswall, European Commission environment commissioner, told Business Line that the proposed postponement is due to technical concerns. Once formally proposed, EU member states and the European Parliament will negotiate the final structure of the law, which could lead to further amendments.

The Business Line report quotes Ramesh Rajah, President of the Coffee Exporters Association, as welcoming the delay, saying, ‘It’s good for us if it’s delayed. It gives us more time to get organised.’ Indian coffee shipments had slowed earlier this year, partly due to rising prices and European buyers demanding EUDR-compliant coffee ahead of the original implementation date. Rajah added that many large growers had already begun preparations to meet the anticipated requirements.

ALSO READ: Explained | How Indian Coffee Growers Can Comply With The European Union’s Deforestation Rule

Supporting the industry, the state-run Coffee Board has launched a free mobile application to guide growers in aligning with EUDR norms, with around 13,000 cultivators having registered so far. Experts expect exports to rebound if the law is delayed and as the new coffee crop comes in over the next few months, although the last quarter typically witnesses slower shipments.

Europe remains India’s largest coffee market, with exports exceeding $1.81 billion in financial year 2024-25. So far in the current calendar year, India’s coffee shipments have fallen 11% in volume to 2.89 lakh tonnes, compared to 3.26 lakh tonnes during the same period last year.

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