Policy paper

The UK’s approach to deforestation regulations

Published 23 June 2026

This was published under the 2024 to 2026 Starmer Labour government

The government is strengthening the approach to tackling deforestation across the UK. 

At COP26, the UK committed to stop and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030. Healthy forests are essential to climate stability, sustainable economic growth and the livelihoods of communities at home and abroad. Protecting and restoring these ecosystems strengthens our collective resilience, allowing us to secure supply chains, food and water resources, and long-term prosperity. 

A mandatory due diligence framework for timber has been in place across the UK since 2013. We now intend to build upon these to further decouple UK consumption from global deforestation.   

Approach to deforestation in Great Britain 

We aim to introduce regulations including under the Environment Act 2021, alongside legislation that will strengthen the UK Timber Regulation (UKTR). The government will consult businesses, civil society and international partners on the substance of the proposed Great Britain (GB) deforestation policy.  

We aim to require businesses in GB with an annual turnover of over £1 million, that use forest risk commodities and wood products, to carry out due diligence to ensure these are produced in compliance with relevant local laws.  

These requirements are intended to apply to:​     ​​​     ​​ 

• wood  
• cattle 
• cocoa 
• coffee 
• palm oil 
• rubber 
• soy 
• certain derived products like chocolate and furniture 

Businesses who use these products would need to ensure they establish a due diligence system, report on their activity, and hold proof of this compliance by collecting geolocation data about the origin of the specific products. 

We aim to make sure these measures operate consistently alongside the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR), so as to support the government’s commitment to protect the UK internal market and support export-led growth. We also aim to achieve due diligence consistency for businesses working in both the UK internal market and EU single market. 

The aim is that the information GB businesses must hold will be broadly the same as what is needed for a due diligence statement when exporting to the EU or moving goods to Northern Ireland under the EUDR. 

It is expected that legislation to implement this regime in Great Britain should be delivered in 2027. 

We aim to strengthen action on illegal deforestation in supply chains, while supporting economic growth and international climate and nature objectives. In due course we intend to move towards a deforestation-free standard. 

Tackling deforestation in Northern Ireland  

The EUDR will apply in Northern Ireland as part of arrangements which ensure Northern Ireland’s unique access to the EU single market is maintained. 

Access to the EU single market is particularly vital to Northern Ireland’s agricultural sector, which relies on privileged access to cross-border supply and processing facilities on the island of Ireland. At the same time, the government’s confirmation that it will deliver an approach that operates consistently alongside the EUDR in Great Britain provides assurance that the UK internal market is also protected. This ensures the dual market access upon which Northern Ireland businesses depend is maintained.  

Our aim in Great Britain is to ensure aspects of the scope and information requirements are broadly the same as those of the EUDR. This is to reduce regulatory divergence between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and support trade with the EU. It is our intention that the due diligence requirements in Great Britain will require businesses to hold similar information as under the EUDR, avoiding duplication of business burdens and disincentives to trade. 

The EUDR will introduce new rules to reduce the consumption in the EU of products that contribute to deforestation or forest degradation worldwide. It will repeal the EU Timber Regulation and regulate key commodities linked to deforestation:   

• wood 
• ​​cattle 
• cocoa 
• coffee 
• palm oil 
• rubber 
• soy 
• certain derived products like chocolate and furniture 

A full list of relevant products in scope of the regulation can be found in Annex I of the EUDR. This list is currently subject to proposed changes by the European Commission and further information can be found on the European Commission website.

UK businesses operations in Northern Ireland  

UK businesses operating within the EU or placing relevant products on the EU or Northern Ireland markets will have to comply with the EUDR. 

Large and medium operators will need to follow these new rules from 30 December 2026. 

Micro and small operators will need to follow EUDR rules from 30 December 2026 for wood products currently regulated under the EU Timber Regulation, and from 30 June 2027 for all other relevant products. 

First placers (those that first make goods available for sale) on the market must ensure goods are accompanied by a due diligence statement, while downstream businesses are subject to reduced requirements. See which category your business falls into ​​by checking Article 3 of this directive ​(for example, whether you are an operator or a downstream business). 

We will provide further specific guidance on movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland as soon as possible.  

Before the EUDR applies to your business, you should prepare your supply chain to come into compliance with EUDR as soon as possible. If you need additional support to prepare for these new arrangements, contact either:

• Defra at frcregulations@defra.gov.uk
• HMRC at nistakeholderengagementteam@hmrc.gov.uk​

Further guidance on EUDR  

Read more about the implementation of the EUDR on the European Commission’s website, including the latest guidance and draft delegated acts.  

Further guidance on ​​EUDR compliance, including an overview of how obligations apply depending on business type, size and position in the supply chain, is also available.   

The country risk classification rules explain how countries are classified as low, standard, or high risk for deforestation. The UK is classed as a low-risk country, which means operators can benefit from simplified due diligence requirements for goods produced in GB and exported to the EU or moved to Northern Ireland.  

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), and Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) will act as Competent Authorities: 

• OPSS will act as Competent Authority for rubber and wood products 

• DAERA will act as Competent Authority for palm oil, soy, cocoa, cattle and coffee 

​Further guidance will be issued in due course.  

If you have any questions about this announcement, email frcregulations@defra.gov.uk.