On Monday the European Commission adopted a delegated act that finalises the product scope and the digital reporting system for the EU Deforestation Regulation. The act adds instant coffee and palm‑oil derivatives to the list of commodities that must be traced, while leather is removed from the regime.

Revised commodity list and technical platform

The regulated commodities now comprise cocoa, coffee, timber, palm oil, rubber, instant coffee and palm‑oil derivatives. The delegated act also sets out the technical specifications for a new EU‑wide IT platform that will collect due‑diligence information from importers. The Commission has cut the anticipated reporting burden by roughly three‑quarters compared with earlier estimates, and the platform is expected to become operational later in the current year.

Reactions from NGOs, industry and governments

WWF senior officer Béatrice Wedeux said the decision removes legal and political uncertainty and provides the tools needed for implementation, noting that with the product scope clarified and the IT system ready there are no longer any excuses for delay. The United States ambassador to the EU, Andrew Puzder, described the regulation as selective protectionism, pointing out that the EU denied a U.S. exemption while the final act eases due‑diligence duties for many small EU firms.

Environmental NGOs criticised the exclusion of leather, arguing that the material is linked to forest loss in Brazil and Indonesia and that its removal gives EU leather producers a market advantage. Trade associations welcomed the reduced paperwork for smaller companies but warned that omitting leather could shift deforestation pressure onto other commodities.

Green NGOs calculated that each one‑year postponement of the rule has resulted in the loss of about 50 million trees and the emission of roughly 16.8 million tonnes of CO₂.

Implications for the United Kingdom and transatlantic trade

The United Kingdom announced plans to enact its own anti‑deforestation legislation modelled on the EU rule. The United States expressed strong concerns that the UK’s copy‑and‑paste approach could affect transatlantic trade.

Member‑state responsibilities and enforcement

Member states are required to transpose the regulation into national law and allocate resources for inspections. Some states with large agricultural sectors have voiced concerns about the administrative burden and possible trade impacts. Failure to comply may lead to product bans or fines, although the precise penalty framework has not yet been finalised.