EU Timber Regulations Scheduled to be Replaced

The European Union Timber Regulations (EUTR) will soon be replaced by the new European Union Deforestation Regulations (EDUR). Research from iov42, the London-based company that has created a computer platform for traceability in the timber supply chain, has found that timber importers across Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, and the UK are troublingly unprepared for the upcoming change in EU regulations.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has estimated that 420 million hectares of forest were lost to deforestation between 1990 and 2020. As a result, it is likely that the EUDR will now set mandatory due diligence obligations for importers that place commodities on the EU market for the first time.

As timber increases in popularity, research has revealed that 74% of those surveyed admitted to not being fully prepared for the incoming regulation, likely because the regulation is yet to be formally agreed upon. However, 72% of those surveyed revealed they were in fact keen to get ahead of the regulation, with 43% claiming they felt positive about full traceability solutions. Of those surveyed, 48% also noted more traceability may expose gaps or problems within the supply chain, highlighting why regulation is needed.