Revised version of the EUDR published and available online

Shortly before the end of 2025, the EU postponed the start of the application of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by one year to 30 December 2026 and at the same time decided on important changes that are also of great importance for the pallet sector. We already reported on this on 23 December 2025. Now, the European Union has published the new version of the EUDR with all the changes.

The changes are of great practical importance for users of EPAL pallets as well as for EPAL production and repair companies. In addition to postponing the application of the EUDR by one year to December 30, 2026, the change in due diligence obligations for wood processing companies is particularly important. Previously, the rule was that when processing EUDR-relevant products such as wood, due diligence declarations with EUDR reference numbers also had to be prepared for the products manufactured from them, such as EPAL pallets. Alternatively, manufacturers and repairers of EPAL pallets were required to check and store the due diligence declarations of their wood suppliers.

This will now be made much easier.

The focus is on relieving the burden on companies in the so-called downstream supply chain that process products for which the EUDR due diligence obligations have already been fulfilled. This also includes manufacturers and repairers of EPAL pallets. They do not have to prepare a new due diligence statement, but only document the origin of the wood material.

The new amended version of the EUDR is available in all EU member state languages on the following European Commission website:

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02023R1115-20251226

The EU Parliament and the governments of the EU member states have instructed the EU Commission to examine further measures to reduce bureaucracy in the EUDR by the end of April 2026. Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that further amendments to the EUDR will be adopted before the application of the EUDR starts in December 2026.