PEFC - your partner for the EUDR

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PEFC, committed to deforestation-free

At PEFC, we have a longstanding commitment to halting deforestation through the promotion of sustainable forest management and products that do not contribute to forest loss. We are committed to continuing this work and strongly support the objectives of the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR). 

Our standards are already well positioned to meet many key elements of the EUDR, and we are working intensively to align them more closely with EUDR requirements. PEFC chain of custody certified companies and PEFC certified forest owners will soon be able to benefit from our practical solutions to enable them to successfully implement EUDR.

At PEFC, we take a holistic approach in how we manage our forests sustainably. PEFC certification takes into account numerous environmental, social and economic considerations, while at the same time addressing the EUDR's key focus - deforestation and legality of wood.

What is EUDR?

The EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR), which entered into force on 29 June 2023, aims to decrease the production and consumption of commodities and derived products linked to deforestation and forest degradation entering or leaving the EU market.

By imposing strict requirements on operators and traders, it builds on the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) for wood products. The EUDR requires companies to exercise due diligence for their products, which must be legally produced and deforestation-free – this means not produced on land that has been subject to deforestation or forest degradation after 31 December 2020. 

The EUDR covers a wide range of timber products, including sawn timber, wood-based materials, paper, and furniture, as well as rubber. The EUDR also applies to palm oil, soy, coffee, cacao, and beef.

The latest news

PEFC and osapiens partner to advance sustainable forestry and EUDR compliance

22 August 2024: osapiens and PEFC have entered a strategic partnership to tackle compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Find out more.

EUDR DDS module standard published

26 July 2024: Following its approval by the PEFC General Assembly, PEFC ST 2002-1:2024, Requirements for the Implementation of PEFC EUDR Due Diligence System (PEFC EUDR DDS), was published on 20 July 2024. Find out more or download the module standard.

LiveEO and PEFC announce partnership for EUDR compliance

27 June 2024: The two organisations have combined their expertise in satellite analytics and modular chain of custody to devise a program that guides PEFC-certified companies to EUDR compliance. Find out more.

The European Commission proposes to delay the EUDR application start

2 October 2024: The European Commission announced a proposal for an additional 12 months to prepare for the start of application of the EUDR. Along with it, the Commission published the EUDR guidelines and updated the FAQ document, together with some other relevant implementation material. Find out more

Contact us

If you have any questions or queries regarding PEFC and our alignment with EUDR, please contact us at eudr@pefc.org

You can also sign up to our Technical Matters newsletter to keep up to date on all the latest PEFC EUDR news.

PEFC EUDR webinars

See the recording of our latest PEFC EUDR webinar, which took place on 26 June:


PEFC supporting you in the EUDR

Forest certification is a valuable tool in preventing the flow of material coming from forests connected to deforestation and degradation, due to the assurances it provides through third-party verification. PEFC is well placed to ensure you will be able to meet the EUDR requirements.

Proven experience

  • PEFC is a proven and credible certification partner for 25 years with robust standards in place.
  • We have more than 10 years of experience and alignment with the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) and engage with the EU on other relevant legislation.
  • As the world's largest forest certification system with global reach and presence in the northern and southern hemispheres, we have experience on the ground and knowledge of forest specifics in 50 countries.

Holistic and inclusive

  • PEFC certification already addresses sustainability, legality and due diligence and considers deforestation and forest degradation through our Sustainable Forest Management and Chain of Custody standards.
  • PEFC was developed to serve smallholders and will continue to do so, by putting in place solutions that will enable smallholders’ inclusion in markets and supply chains, not leaving them behind.

Pragmatic and solution focused

  • Our documentation covers a range of issues that strengthened our stand on EUTR and already bring us closer towards the alignment with the EUDR.
  • We will strive for solutions that are implementable and practical, avoiding additional complexity and burden.
  • While voluntary certification does not bring direct compliance with the EUDR, by requiring companies to undergo a due diligence process, PEFC certification will help facilitate companies' compliance with the EUDR.

The PEFC EUDR roll out

PEFC has 25 years of experience in enabling dialogue on sustainable forest management. We meet the challenge of EUDR no differently: bringing different experts and stakeholders together, building consensus, and providing a solution to the market that gives flexibility and responds to the needs of our stakeholders.

We have put in place a cross-functional plan to cover the different aspects within EUDR. Aligned to our inclusive dialogue and bottom-up approach, PEFC members and external experts are participating in working groups and task forces to develop our PEFC EUDR solution for the market.

We are advancing through three development streams, all of them interconnected, but each focused on the key topics within the EUDR:

  • The Sustainable Forest Management Working Group is looking at solutions from the forest and forest owner perspectives.
  • The Chain of Custody Working Group developed the PEFC EUDR Due Diligence System that companies can implement.
  • The Data Task Force, coordinating with both the Chain of Custody and the Sustainable Forest Management WGs, is looking at geolocation data, harvesting timing and other associated data.

PEFC's roadmap to EUDR alignment

Behind the scenes, our Working Groups and Task Forces are working on our development streams to ensure we have practical solutions in place to enable you to successfully implement EUDR. We also continue to engage with the EU Commission, as we have done since the start of the EUDR development process.

Our technology partners

We are developing partnerships with a range of Earth Observation (EO) and Traceability companies.

LIVE EO, osapiens, and TimberID have end-to-end software solutions for EUDR compliance which include Earth Observation checks for deforestation and degradation, data sharing capability and Due Diligence Statement functionality.

Timbeter are specialists in geolocation and traceability of timber and are currently adding further EUDR capabilities to their product offering. Ekwato is an efficient digital solution to manage and monitor timber products purchasing policies.

Find out more about our technical partners below.

LiveEO

Live Eo offers earth observation technologies and solutions for asset monitoring, providing insights for businesses for increased safety, efficiency, and sustainability.


osapiens

osapiens provides Software-as-a-Service solutions to enable global companies establish corporate sustainability, fulfil legal ESG requirements, and automate manual processes.

Deeplai

Deeplai developed the DeepTech solution Timber ID to meet and solve EUDR objectives, providing proof of timber provenance in the chain of custody.

Timbeter

Forest tech company Timbeter offers a digital timber measurement solution that uses machine learning technology and artificial intelligence for accurate log detection and supply chain management.

Ekwato

Ekwato is an efficient digital solution to meet companies' internal, normative or regulatory requirements when purchasing wood products, providing a tool to manage complex documentation and risk analysis process for each product.

Orbify

Orbify offers satellite-powered environmental analytics for EUDR compliance and Nature Conservation. Orbify’s EUDR tool, Compliance Orb, streamlines the EUDR compliance process by performing historical deforestation analysis, assessing risks, and providing near-real-time alerts to ensure deforestation-free supply chains.

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