“The majority of EU ambassadors are pushing the Commission to postpone the application of the new anti-deforestation laws for everyone. Not just for small businesses”, reported euractiv.com, citing comments from “three diplomatic sources”. The proposal to postpone the entry into force of the EUDR by six months only for micro and small businesses, setting December 30, 2025, as the start date for its application for all others, has sparked a heated debate in Brussels. The debate remains very heated in Italy as well, as demonstrated by the latest appeal from UNIC – Italian Tanneries. And that’s not all.
Everyone against the Commission’s latest proposal
“The European Commission is taking very chaotic steps and making very chaotic statements”, says Czech Agriculture Minister Marek Výborný (source: euractiv.com). He is not the only one in Brussels to express deep skepticism about the Commission’s latest proposal. “Austria supports the need for an immediate stop-the-clock on the implementation of the EUDR for one year”. That is, “until the simplifications are completed”. Because “there is not enough time to change the rules before they come into force in December” (source: euractiv.com).
Vienna is not alone in supporting this position. According to diplomatic sources, in fact, “at least 13 other countries” are ready to follow suit, not to mention the recent appeals from business confederations and associations calling for a stop-the-clock. They are calling for a reassessment of the EDUR to prevent it from crushing various manufacturing sectors in its bureaucratic machinery. All this, it should be reiterated, will ultimately achieve the opposite of its objectives: to combat deforestation, as everyone wants.
UNIC’s appeal
“The EU Commission’s proposal to amend the EUDR is yet another profound disappointment that we have to endure from Brussels”, said Fabrizio Nuti, president of UNIC – Italian Tanneries, on October 23. Today, the association of Italian tanners is once again making its voice heard, launching an appeal for Brussels to form “a common front to postpone and reevaluate the EUDR. In an economic situation that remains very critical for companies in the tanning sector, UNIC – Italian Tanneries hopes and urges Italian politicians and institutions to present a united front in Brussels, especially in the European Parliament.
It’s a call for unity among Italian political forces within the European Union so that, “as already stated on a bipartisan level in recent weeks, they can jointly and unanimously support the need to postpone the entry into force of the EUDR Regulation for all companies”. This shared intention is necessary to protect “the competitiveness of Italian tanneries and their employment levels”.
Federlegno’s requests
UNIC’s voice in Italy joins that of FederlegnoArredo, which, in a statement, “supports the request to introduce a suspension mechanism (stop-the-clock)”. The objective: “To thoroughly review the Regulation, simplifying its requirements and making them truly feasible for all companies”.
Read also:
- EUDR, Nuti (UNIC): “Yet another let-down from the Commission”
- “Suspend the EUDR”: Cotance among 26 signatories to the appeal
- With the EUDR, the Commission has already played the Halloween prank on us
- The Commission contradicts itself: EUDR in force as early as 2026
