Philippine exporters are being urged to prepare for the European Union’s new deforestation rules, which will require companies to prove that key agricultural products entering or leaving the EU market are both deforestation-free and compliant with local laws.

The International Trade Centre (ITC) has released a set of informational flyers to guide local producers of cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, and soy on how to meet the requirements of the EU Deforestation-free Products Regulation (EUDR). The regulation also covers cattle, wood, and all derivative goods such as leather, furniture, chocolate, and other processed items.

Under the EUDR, operators — defined as companies placing these products on the EU market or exporting them from the EU — must submit the exact geolocation of production sites and conduct a due diligence review of their supply chains.

Verifying compliance with environmental rules

This includes verifying compliance with environmental rules and local laws such as labor standards. Although Philippine suppliers are not directly liable under the regulation, the ITC noted they will still be required to provide detailed production data to their EU buyers to help them meet compliance obligations.

Exporters must identify and organize required information, including origin data, production methods, producer profiles, and documentation proving legal and sustainable operations. The flyers highlight a range of digital tools available for data collection — such as Excel templates, GeoJSON mapping, the FAO’s Ground app, and the ITC’s Deforestation-Free Trade Gateway (DFTG) — to help producers standardize and share information efficiently.

EUDR enforcement postponed to 30 December 2026

The EU Council has proposed postponing full enforcement of the EUDR to 30 December 2026, giving operators and regulators additional time to prepare. Micro and small operators may receive an extra six months. The extension follows concerns raised across the global agricultural supply chain regarding readiness and data collection capacity.

The new compliance materials were developed under the EU-funded Climate Competitiveness Project at ITC and the Department of Trade and Industry–Export Marketing Bureau’s Usapang Exports program.