Brussels, November 4 - Negotiators have agreed a final deal to delay the EU's landmark anti-deforestation law by 12 months, which would see it come into effect from the end of December 2025.

Reacting to the decision, Giulia Bondi, senior EU forests campaigner at Global Witness, said:

"With our planet's forests destroyed further every day, we cannot afford delays to much-needed environmental protection laws like the EU's anti-deforestation legislation.

This law is a vital tool to help protect forests , and it's troubling news that European governments and MEPs have backed a move to delay climate action, with the option of weakening it even further down the line. Instead of rolling back its environmental agenda, the EU needs to keep its commitments and show leadership to tackle the climate emergency."

Representatives from the European Commission, Council and Parliament agreed the deal after the Commission had originally proposed a delay in October following pressure from industries and the European People's Party.

The European Council backed the delay, while the European Parliament went further and attempted to water it down.

The European Parliament and Council will now vote to formalise the deal before the end of the year.

The EU Deforestation Regulation, agreed in December 2022, is designed to prevent imports and exports of a comprehensive list of products linked to deforestation and forest degradation, including coffee, timber, palm oil, cattle, soy, rubber and cocoa, as well as products derived from them.

Paul Hallows, EU Communications Advisor