COCERAL, FEDIOL and FEFAC say the European Commission’s latest EUDR Simplification Package fails to provide the legal certainty and practical simplifications needed by operators across agricultural supply chains. The organizations warn that unresolved ambiguities and technical limitations could continue to disrupt trade flows and feed ingredient supplies.

European feed, grain and vegetable oil industry organizations have criticized the European Commission’s latest simplification measures related to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), arguing that the package does not go far enough to ensure workable implementation for companies operating across agricultural supply chains.

In a joint statement, COCERAL, FEDIOL and FEFAC said the recently announced EUDR Simplification Package “falls short of delivering real simplifications” and does not adequately improve legal certainty for operators subject to the regulation.

The three organizations stressed that the Commission did not include any proposal for legislative amendments within the package, despite repeated industry calls for targeted legal corrections to address inconsistencies and ambiguities in the regulation. According to the associations, guidance documents and FAQs issued by the Commission may offer flexible interpretations but do not provide the legal force required to guarantee harmonized enforcement among EU member states.

The organizations also pointed to ongoing concerns regarding downstream obligations under the regulation. They argued that previous attempts to simplify obligations for downstream operators have not produced the expected results in practice, partly because many companies simultaneously act in multiple roles across supply chains, increasing uncertainty regarding liability and compliance responsibilities.

IMPORTED FEED SUPPLY UNDER SCRUTINY

For the feed sector, the issue is particularly significant due to Europe’s heavy reliance on imported agricultural commodities such as soybeans, oilseed meals and vegetable oils used in compound feed production. Industry representatives warn that unclear implementation rules could create additional compliance risks, supply bottlenecks and administrative burdens for feed manufacturers and traders.

The joint statement further criticized several unresolved technical limitations within the EUDR Information System. Among the concerns highlighted were the 25 MB upload limit, restricted grouping possibilities for due diligence statements and the relatively short 72-hour window allowed for amendments to submitted declarations.

COCERAL represents the European trade in cereals, oilseeds, animal feed and agrosupply products, while FEDIOL represents the European vegetable oil and protein meal industry. FEFAC represents the European compound feed and premix sector, covering around 3,200 production sites and more than 100,000 employees across Europe.

The organizations reiterated their call for a targeted legislative amendment to the EUDR, arguing that only formal legal revisions can provide the clarity, consistency and operational feasibility needed to avoid market disruptions and ensure secure agricultural supply chains within the EU.