New European rules against deforestation: what does this mean for Belgium?

Published 2026-11-13

The European Union has made rules to limit deforestation. These rules are in the EUDR, the Regulation on deforestation-free products. They apply to certain raw materials and products that are sold on the European market, such as wood, soy, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, cattle and rubber. The Federal Public Service Public Health has published information about the legislation that is relevant in Belgium for these raw materials.

According to the rules, companies must be able to show that their products do not come from areas that were deforested after a certain date. They must also be able to show that the products were produced legally in the country of origin. Companies that place these products on the market must submit a due diligence statement for this. This applies to large companies as well as smaller ones, although the obligations may differ.

For Belgian companies, such as importers, processors and traders, this means they must check their supply chains. They must know where the raw materials come from. This may mean extra administration, but the aim of the rules is to improve the protection of forests worldwide and to reduce the consumption of products that contribute to deforestation.

The exact application of the EUDR will become clearer in the coming period. Belgian consumers and companies can consult the official information of the FOD Volksgezondheid (Federal Public Service Public Health) for more details about the obligations and the application dates.

Sources: FPS Public Health

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