Austria and Germany welcome EUDR postponement but call for urgent revision

On December 3, 2024, the European Union provisionally agreed to delay the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by one year, offering relief to the forestry and timber sectors. Industry leaders in both Austria and Germany have welcomed the postponement, but they remain united in their demand for significant revisions to the regulation to reduce bureaucratic burdens and ensure practical application. The delay, which requires formal approval by the EU Parliament and Council, is seen as a necessary, albeit partial, solution. Herbert Jöbstl, Chairman of the Austrian Timber Industry Association, described the postponement as “half a step ...