EU proposes removing leather from deforestation rules

The European Commission proposed removing leather from the revised EU Deforestation Regulation to ease pressure on industries like footwear and handbags. The draft also adds certain products and cuts compliance costs, while maintaining rules against goods linked to deforestation

Brussels: The European Commission on Monday proposed to remove leather from the scope of the revised European Union (EU) Deforestation Regulation, in a move to avoid penalising EU producers of goods such as handbags and shoes.

The draft delegated act, open for public feedback until June 1, proposes targeted amendments to the product scope, including adding soluble coffee and certain palm oil derivatives while excluding leather and retreaded tyres and so on, said the Commission in a statement, Xinhua News Agency reported.

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The Commission also unveiled a package of supporting measures to ensure the smooth and effective implementation of the revised law, following the adoption of the revised text by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU in December 2025.

The measures include a simplification review report, updated guidance and frequently asked questions. The supporting measures are expected to reduce annual compliance costs for companies subject to the EU Deforestation Regulation obligations by about 75 per cent compared to the original regulation.

The Commission said the package is designed to provide additional clarity to economic operators, members and third countries while guaranteeing legal stability and predictability.

The EU Deforestation Regulation aims to ensure that key goods placed on the EU market do not contribute to deforestation and forest degradation, which are major drivers of climate change and biodiversity loss. It covers seven commodities — cattle, wood, cocoa, soy, palm oil, coffee, rubber, and some of their derived products.

Under the regulation, any operator or trader placing these goods on the EU market or exporting them must prove the products do not originate from recently deforested land or have contributed to forest degradation.

The regulation is set to apply from December 30, 2026, for large and medium companies, and from June 30, 2027, for other micro and small enterprises.