The European Union’s anti-deforestation law is “coming apart at the seams” and should be abandoned, according to the American Loggers Council (ALC), which today accused Brussels of pursuing “misguided efforts” that risk damaging trade and trust. In a strongly worded statement provided to Wood Central, the ALC said the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) has been plagued by “delays, changes, opposition, uncertainty, and legal concerns” since its adoption.
“The EU continues to try to thread the needle of their European Union Deforestation Regulation that is coming apart at the seams,” the Council said. “Clearly from the two-step (one forward, two backwards) shuffle that the EU is dancing, internal and external opposition and concern exist. If the EU keeps stepping backwards, they’ll eventually get to where they need to be and quit tilting at windmills.’”
As it stands, the EUDR, which is due to come into effect later this year, requires companies to prove that their products are not linked to deforestation before entering the EU market—a framework that the ALC argues is fundamentally flawed. “It is time to put a fork in it, the fat lady has sung, the music has stopped, and the jig is up. It is time to learn a new dance,” the statement added.
Trade talks and a potential ‘green lane’
The comments come as the EUDR faces renewed scrutiny on both sides of the Atlantic. Last week, Wood Central reported that the world’s largest pulp, paper, and lumber producer could be classified as “deforestation-free” — a move that would reignite debate over a potential “green lane” for certain suppliers to meet the regulation’s requirements. According to reports, EU and U.S. officials are working on a draft EU–U.S. Agreement Framework to “address the concerns of U.S. producers and exporters regarding the EU Deforestation Regulation,” with the aim of “avoiding undue impact on U.S.–EU trade.”
Currently, the United States is among 141 countries classified as “low risk” under the EU’s benchmarking system. However, Wood Central understands U.S. trade officials are lobbying for a new “negligible risk” category — a designation that would streamline due diligence for all U.S.-origin products.
Opponents of the proposed shift argue that granting the U.S. “negligible risk” status could weaken enforcement. In theory, products linked to illegal deforestation could be routed through the U.S. from “standard risk” countries such as Mexico, then shipped to Europe with minimal checks.
Trade analysts also warn of potential diplomatic and legal repercussions. Palm Oil Monitor, a specialist industry platform, has cautioned that preferential treatment for the U.S. would likely need to be extended to other major exporters, including Indonesia and Malaysia, to avoid undermining relationships and breaching World Trade Organization rules. “Either everyone gets simplified compliance or no one does — there’s no middle ground that survives WTO scrutiny,” the platform said, warning that unequal treatment could invite formal challenges.
- To learn more about the country benchmarking system, click here to read Wood Central’s exclusive interview with Marigold Walkins and Kerstin Canby from Forest Trends last month.
