On 17 December 2025, the European Union (EU) announced another delay to the start of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The EUDR will now be applied from 30 December 2026 to large EU businesses, and from 30 June 2027 to smaller EU enterprises.
The EU has also made several changes to the EUDR. These include some simpler requirements for small EU businesses, and removing printed products from the list of regulated goods. The European Commission will review the EUDR by 30 April 2026 and may suggest more ways to simplify the legislation.
Under the EUDR, EU importers must prove that land used to produce certain commodities (listed below) has not been subject to deforestation or forest degradation since 31 December 2020. They must also show that production followed local laws in the country of origin.
Australian producers and exporters of affected products will need to give information to EU importers to help them meet these requirements.
Commodities affected
The EUDR regulates imports of these commodities and some of their derived products:
- Cattle (including beef)
- Cocoa
- Coffee
- Oil Palm
- Rubber
- Soya
- Wood
Derived products such as leather and chocolate are also regulated.
See the full list of regulated commodities and derived products.
How the regulation works
EU authorities will require EU importers to collect the following information:
- a description of relevant products and their quantities (and for wood products, the common species name and full scientific name)
- geolocations of all production locations
- production date or time range of production
- adequately conclusive and verifiable information that the relevant products are deforestation-free and were produced in compliance with the export country’s relevant local laws.
Expect that EU importers and further points on the supply chain may ask you for some or all of this information.
EU importers use this information to submit a ‘due diligence statement’ before the goods reach the EU.
Geolocations requirements
Geolocations information must include:
- at least one latitude coordinate and at least one longitude coordinate
- coordinates recorded to a minimum of six decimal places.
For cattle:
One coordinate is required for each establishment where cattle have been kept.
For all other commodities:
If the production area is smaller than 4 hectares, a single geolocation coordinate is enough.
If the area is over 4 hectares, a polygon outlining the perimeter is required.
Geolocations are needed for all plots used, including when products come from or pass through multiple places.
LPA Geolocation Sharing Tool
For cattle producers, geolocation reporting is a new requirement on top of existing European Union Cattle Accreditation Scheme (EUCAS) rules.
The Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) program now provides a geolocation sharing tool so producers can enter coordinates for their LPA Account. Guidance on using this tool is available through LPA.
Other tools are also being developed by non-government organisations, such as the Cibolabs EUDR Deforestation Assessment Service, to help verify compliance and share required information through supply chains.
Relevant Information for EU Importers
Guidance on forest management frameworks by state
The Australian Government, together with state governments, have created State Specific Guidelines’(SSGs). That describe legal framework governing timber harvesting. These were designed to support compliance with Australia’s illegal logging laws and may help EU importers understand the requirements relevant to EUDR, especially for wood products.
The SSGs can be accessed on the department’s website here.
National forest mapping and reporting
The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARES) has produced Australia’s State of Forests Report since 1998. The report contains detailed information on forest area, protections and related land use change.
The most recent accurate map of Australia’s forests mapped according to Australia’s internationally recognised forest definition, was published in 2023.
The EU has also released a draft global forest map showing forest cover as at 31 December 2020, based on satellite data and the EU definition of forest. While Australian has provided input, the accuracy of the EU map cannot be guaranteed.
The EUDR does not require use of any specific map.
Third party information
Several third parties offer information that may help EU importers with their due diligence.
Note: These sources represent the views of third parties and may be subject to further change. As the EUDR is EU legislation, the Australian Government cannot provide any assurances on their relevance or acceptability to EU authorities.
Forest Trends – Illegal Deforestation and Associated Trade (IDAT) Risk Tool
Forest Trends provides a series of tools to support the national risk assessments when sourcing forest-related commodities. The IDAT risk tool includes country risk ratings (including for Australia) and information about specific risks associated with illegal deforestation and supply chains.
Preferred By Nature – Sourcing Hub
Preferred by Nature’s sourcing hub includes national legality risk assessments across several commodities with information on the risks associated with a particular country (including Australia), and advice on mitigating actions.
TimberLex – Country Specific Legal Information
The TimberLex database provides country-specific legal information on forest management, timber production and trade (including for Australia).
Country Benchmarking
The percentage of consignments inspected at the EU border on arrival varies according to the risk level assigned to the country or region of production (high, standard or low).
On 22 May 2025, the European Commission (EC) classified Australia as a low-risk country (Country Classification List) under the EUDR.
This classification means:
Only 1% of regulated importers from Australia (and other low-risk countries) will undergo annual checks by the EU competent authorities. Goods from Australia are eligible for simplified due diligence processes. However, Australian producers and exporters must still provide geolocations and other required information to EU importers.
European Commission’s Guidance and FAQs
In May 2025, the EU released an updated Guidance Document and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to help companies and authorities apply the EUDR. The guidance covers topics such as legality requirements, timeframe of application, agriculture, and product scope. The latest FAQs include more than 40 new answers to common questions.
More information
Read the full EUDR legal text.
Subscribe to Industry Advice Notices (IAN) for updates including on EUDR:
Contact
For enquiries about the EUDR please email: europe.tmad@aff.gov.au.
Disclaimer
Many details of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) are still being finalised by the European Commission (EC). This information is intended to inform Australian stakeholders but is not commercial or legal advice. As the EUDR is EU legislation, implementation is the responsibility of the EC and it’s European Union Member States. Businesses should seek independent advice suited to their operations.
The information provided is current at the date of issue and is intended for use as guidance only. The Commonwealth has exercised due care and skill in the preparation of this information, but we do not warrant its accuracy, completeness or suitability for any purpose. Information may be subject to change without notice.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Commonwealth will not be liable for any loss, damage, expense or cost incurred by any person directly or indirectly as a result of relying on information contained in this notice.