On 21 October, the EU unexpectedly opted not to delay its environmental regulation for larger businesses, which will ban imports of non-compliant paper-based magazines and books, and other deforestation-linked products. 

The regulation will now come into force on the original timeline, with large businesses needing to comply from 30 December 2025. To ease the transition, large businesses will benefit from a six-month grace period during which non-compliance will not incur penalties. 

Micro and small businesses will have an extra year and will not need to comply until 30 December 2026. 

The European Commission also proposed a key simplification: only the company first placing a product on the EU market must submit a due diligence statement. 

As with previous amendments to the EU Deforestation Regulation, these changes will still need to be ratified by EU member states before being enforced. 

The PPA is currently assessing with the value chain the impact of these latest changes across the intricate and complex news and magazine supply chain exporting into the EU and NI.  

The results of which will soon be published in a concise PPA EU Deforestation Regulation guidance document offering practical advice to publishers, as well as outlining a standardised industry approach, with input and advice from across the value chain. 

A full copy of the full announcement with revised timeline can be found here.  

For enquiries, contact David Bostock, Membership Manager: David.Bostock@ppa.co.uk