ANTI-DEFORESTATION LAWS HAVE been delayed by 12 months by the European Commission after it claims industry members and international Governments have highlighted “concerns” with the pace of the changes.

The new regulations would outlaw commodities and goods that contribute to deforestation – such as logs from a large, protected forests – and was agreed by the EU last year after nearly five years of legislative work.

However, concerns have been raised that smaller members of the industry and farmers may be negatively impacted by the changes and the top EU regulators have moved to delay the ban.

Large-scale companies in the industry have been given a 12-month extension until 30 December 2025. After that date, their products will no longer be permitted to sell in the EU single market.

Smaller and medium-sized firms have been given six months longer, until 30 June 2026.

The European Commission, in a statement today, admitted that the legislation is ready to go but that it believed, following input from the industry and Governments, that it would be best to include a “phasing-in” period for the ban.

A spokesperson was adamant that the delay “in no way puts into question the objective or the substance of the law” as agreed by the European institutions.

Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan has accused the Commission of “backsliding” on its climate commitments and questioned if the pending agreement between Mercosur, countries in latin America, and the EU had something to do with the timing.

She said she believes the trade deal will be “rotten” for people and the planet, pointing to the major levels of deforestation in Brazil and South America.

Boylan has urged the Commission to reconsider its delay.