EUDR - information from SCA
What is going on with EUDR (EU Deforestation Regulation) and SCA's implementation. Here we summon the latest news.
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) was officially adopted and entered into force on June 29th 2023. The regulation aims to stop deforestation and forest degradation associated with specific products placed on or exported from the EU market, in particular agriculture crops, but also wood products and solid biofuels.
Latest News: EUDR can be postponed
The EUDR was supposed to come into effect on December 30, 2024, but now there is a suggestion to postpone it by 12 months. But first, the parliament and the member states need to approve the proposal as soon as possible.
In a press release from the European Commission on October 2, 2024, the Commission announced that stakeholders need more time to prepare:
“Given the nature of the EUDR, the rapid timeline, and the diversity of involved international stakeholders, the Commission considers that an additional 12 months for the system’s phase-in is a balanced solution to support operators worldwide in ensuring a smooth implementation from the start. With this step, the Commission aims to provide certainty about the way forward and to ensure the success of the EUDR, which is crucial for addressing the EU’s contribution to the urgent global issue of deforestation.”
Present information October 21, 2024
Implementation status
The work is still ongoing to evaluate the regulatory steps needed to adopt Swedish legislation according to EUDR. The competent authority in Sweden, the Swedish Forest Agency (Skogsstyrelsen), have started open sessions for the public to ask questions about the implementation of the regulation.
There are still some uncertainties on how traceability and due diligence shall be performed, which will be further clarified in the EU Commission work group on the issue. A guidance document and the third version of the FAQ was published on October 2nd, but questions still remain.
The risk-classification of countries should be finished by December 30th, 2024. Following the methodology applied, a large majority of countries worldwide will be classified as ‘low risk' according to the commission.
Ongoing activities
At SCA we are working actively with the implementation regardless of the proposed postponement. We are in dialogue with the EU and Swedish authorities as well as customers, the forest industry and certification organisations.
In Sweden, the forest industry has a common platform to oversee the traceability of wood but the EUDR’s requirements will extend beyond its current capabilities. To solve this, we are working to develop the systems needed to comply by the end of 2024. A Swedish common model (for tree-based products), based on reporting in excess, was presented in August.
The Swedish company Biometria (responsible for the measuring of the timber) have decided to provide support in the VIOL-system, enabling the transactions of reference numbers. All parties involved in the raw material affair will then have the information that a declaration has been made together with the reference number(s) connected to the delivery.
A test pilot phase of the EUDR Information system took place between December 18, 2023 and January 31, 2024. An API (Application Programming Interface) which can communicate with the information system has been developed as an outcome of the test pilot. Updates due to the pilot testing are still on-going. The system will open for registration at the beginning of November and open to full extent on December 2nd.
Expectations going forward
There are still a lot of issues to be solved. We have, together with the Swedish Forest Industries Federation, identified some overall questions that needs to be answered:
- How can we secure traceability through industry and logistic facilities? Work is ongoing to have robust practically implementable solutions.
- Which information should be forwarded to customers in addition to reference numbers? Information about geolocations can be hidden in the EU information system, suggesting that this data does not have to be shared. Other information, for example about legality, needs to be decided on when to share.
- How can responsibility and sanctions be delimited to the actor in the supply chain that violated the regulation and to the actual volume of raw material or product that is illicit? This must be clarified by the commission, but also interpreted by the Swedish competent authority.
- Will Sweden be classified as a low-risk country? According to the commission, following the methodology applied, a large majority of countries worldwide will be classified as ‘low risk'.
- How will the assessment criteria for forest destruction come out and what sanctions will apply in Sweden? Ongoing investigation at a national level.
- What constitutes relevant legislation in Sweden and what documentation is required? Ongoing investigation at a national level.
Previous EUDR information
Implementation status
The Swedish government has appointed a committee to evaluate the regulatory steps needed. The competent authority in Sweden has been appointed and the mission for supervision is assigned the Swedish Forest Agency (Skogsstyrelsen).
There are still some uncertainties on how traceability and due diligence shall be performed, which will be further clarified in the EU Commission work group on the issue. Further aspects regarding risk-classification of countries will be clarified in the Member States implementation processes.
Ongoing activities
We are in dialogue with the EU and Swedish authorities as well as customers, the forest industry and certification organisations.
In Sweden, the forest industry has a common platform to oversee the traceability of wood but the EUDR’s requirements will extend beyond its current capabilities. To solve this, we are actively working to develop the systems needed to comply by the end of 2024. A Swedish common model (for tree-based products) will be presented in August.
The Swedish company Biometria (responsible for the measuring of the timber) have decided to provide support in the VIOL-system, enabling the transactions of reference numbers. All parties involved in the raw material affair will then have the information that a declaration has been done and the reference number(s) connected to the delivery.
A test pilot phase of the EUDR Information system took place between December 18, 2023 and January 31, 2024.
An API (Application Programming Interface) which can communicate with the information system has been developed as an outcome of the test pilot. Updates due to the pilot testing is still on-going and the system will open on December 2nd.
Expectations going forward
There all still a lot of issues to be solved. We have, together with the Swedish Forest Industries Federation, identified two overall questions that needs to be answered by the EU commission, and that we are actively working on as well:
- Is there a possibility to use mass balance for the traceability through terminals and industries?
- What are the criteria to fulfill due diligence and the documentation coupled to that?
We also wait for promised guidelines and new FAQ from the EU.
Implementation status
The Swedish government has appointed a committee to evaluate the regulatory steps needed. The competent authority in Sweden has been appointed and the mission for supervision is assigned the Swedish Forest Agency (Skogsstyrelsen).
There are still some uncertainties on how traceability and due diligence shall be performed, which will be further clarified in the EU Commission work group on the issue. Further aspects regarding risk-classification of countries will be clarified in the Member States implementation processes.
Ongoing activities
We are in dialogue with the EU and Swedish authorities as well as customers, the forest industry and certification organisations.
In Sweden, the forest industry has a common platform to oversee the traceability of wood but the EUDR’s requirements will extend beyond its current capabilities. To solve this, we are actively working to develop the systems needed to comply by the end of 2024.
A test pilot phase of the EUDR Information system took place between December18, 2023 and January 31, 2024. One of the outcomes was that there is a need of an API (Application Programming Interface). Development due to the pilot testing is still on-going.
The Swedish company Biometria (responsible for the measuring of the timber) have decided to provide support in the VIOL-system, enabling the transactions of reference numbers. All parties involved in the raw material affair will then have the information that a declaration has been done and the reference number(s) connected to the delivery.
Expectations going forward
There all still a lot of issues to be solved. We have, together with the Swedish Forest Industries Federation, identified two overall questions that needs to be answered by the EU commission, and that we are actively working on as well:
- Is there a possibility to use mass balance for the traceability through terminals and industries?
- What are the criteria to fulfill due diligence and the documentation coupled to that?
We also wait for promised guidelines and new FAQ from the EU.
Implementation status
The Swedish government has appointed a committee to evaluate the regulatory steps needed.The competent authority in Sweden has been appointed and the mission for supervision is assigned the Swedish Forest Agency (Skogsstyrelsen).
There are still uncertainties on how traceability and due diligence shall be performed, which will be further clarified in the EU Commission work group on the issue. Further aspects regarding risk-classification of countries will be clarified in the Member States implementation processes.
Ongoing activities
We are in dialogue with the EU and Swedish authorities as well as customers, the forest industry and certification organisations.
In Sweden, the forest industry has a common platform to oversee the traceability of wood but the EUDR’s requirements will extend beyond its current capabilities. To solve this, we are actively working to develop the systems needed to comply by the end of 2024.
At the moment we are evaluating the EUDR Information system during the ongoing test pilot phase, 18 th December 2023 to 31 January 2024
Expectations going forward
- We are looking forward to taking part of the results from the Information system test pilot.
- Meetings will be set up with the Swedish Forest Agency (competent authority).
- Our close co-operation with the forest industry in Sweden and Europe will continue.
