Reports saying that the European Commission has ruled out amendments to the European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) are not accurate, World Leather has learned. Report by Leatherbiz.

In the last days of September, reports appeared suggesting that the Commission had dismissed the possibility of any amendment to EUDR, including any delay to its coming into application in December.

Media in India quoted sources in Geneva as saying the Commission had confirmed this to the World Trade Organization. There were also reports saying Germany’s federal ministry of food and agriculture had also “officially confirmed” the Commission’s decision to rule out any possible change.

However, a spokesperson at the European Commission told World Leather on September 30 that the authorities in Brussels are still keeping the situation “under constant review” and that there has been, as yet, no definitive ruling out of proposed amendments.

This means that, although the Commission is “working hard to ensure that all the conditions are met for a smooth implementation of the law”, and time is very tight, changes could still take place.

The perception among some in Brussels is that statements Commission spokespeople have made at recent technical meetings about the current state of play were being “overinterpreted” in some quarters.