The EU Deforestation Regulation covers wood alongside six other commodities, and its application date is now 30 December 2026 for large and medium operators, with micro and small operators following by 30 June 2027. The latest revision, adopted in December 2025, simplified the due diligence process but kept the core obligation intact: anyone placing wood products on the EU market must show geolocation data and a due diligence statement proving the material is deforestation-free.
Buyers sourcing from low-risk countries get a lighter process, but the documentation requirement does not disappear. The practical message for 2026: choose suppliers who already capture traceability data, because retrofitting it under deadline pressure is where deals break.