UK print companies may be at high risk from EUDR laws

Editor’s Note, December 19th, 2025: Since the time of writing, the European Union has reached an agreement to postpone the application of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by one year. Following a provisional deal on December 4th, the European Parliament formally adopted the revised text on December 17th. For medium- and large-sized businesses, the new deadline for compliance is December 30th 2026, and small- and micro-sized businesses now have until June 30th 2027 to comply.

November 19th

Many print and packaging companies are at risk of significant impact from upcoming changes to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), according to a specialist from compliance and brand protection software specialist, iov42.

The EUDR law requires companies to ensure that natural commodities including paper, soy, and rubber sold in or exported from the EU market are deforestation-free and produced in accordance with relevant local laws.

The rules become mandatory for large and medium-sized operators and traders on December 30th 2025 (although a proposed six-month grace period for enforcement is anticipated), with enforcement for SMEs coming on June 30^th 2026.

Although most paper in Europe comes from sustainably managed forests where the cycle of planting, growing, and logging is carefully controlled, print companies may still face challenges in traceability, compliance management, materials from international markets, and the risk of potential penalties.

Trevor Willis, senior sales manager (EUDR) at iov42, says: “EUDR is often discussed in the context of timber and other forest-risk commodities such as cocoa, coffee, palm oil, and rubber – but it is also set to have a significant impact on the paper, packaging, and print sectors.

“The European Commission has proposed a one-year delay to parts of EUDR, but this has not yet been formally confirmed. There is also discussion of alternative enforcement routes that would allow implementation on time without relying on the EU’s troubled information system, TRACES NT.”

For each batch/shipment containing a listed material, a due diligence statement (DDS) will need to be linked to a specific product batch and submitted via the EU's information system, called the TRACES system. Each statement generates a unique reference number that must be included in customs declarations.

Willis adds: “For businesses, this leaves a familiar picture: timelines may shift, but expectations on traceability and deforestation-free supply chains are only moving in one direction.”

Designed by technology company, iov42, Interu is an IT Solution designed to allow organisations operating in the European marketplace to satisfy the legal reporting requirements of the EUDR.

As part of the development of the app, iov42 spoke to 300 timber operators across Europe – many of them supplying into paper and board supply chains – asking them about their relationship with EUDR and their approach to traceability.

82% of the timber operators surveyed reported spending more than half of their time tracking down information for customers. 18% said they were unaware of any deforestation regulations at all, and 58% said their suppliers were not willing or were unable to support their traceability efforts.

Busting Myths

Iov42 has since released a series of ‘myth busting’ facts, which aim to make clear what the EUDR laws mean for UK print.

Among the myths that the company wishes to counter is the idea that EUDR laws do not apply to UK-based printers.

As Willis says: “If printed products, packaging, or paper-based materials are exported to the EU – directly or indirectly – printers can expect to be asked for evidence on sourcing, traceability, and risk management, even if they are not the entity filing formal due diligence statements.

“For UK print companies supplying EU brands, or UK brands that sell into the EU, the question is less ‘Does EUDR legally apply to us?’, and more ‘Can we prove to our customers that we are compliant with their obligations?’”

According to Willis, another myth is the idea that companies which only buy paper from UK or EU suppliers are safe. He continues: “EUDR is not limited to non-EU deforestation. It focuses on whether products are associated with deforestation or forest degradation anywhere in the world.

“Even when sourcing from low-risk or EU countries, operators may still need to provide evidence of origin and due diligence. The assumption that ‘EU-sourced equals safe’ is unlikely to stand up to scrutiny.”

Another recurring concern is that if the UK does not introduce a broadly equivalent regime under the UK Environment Act, the UK market could then become a destination for higher-risk materials that cannot enter the EU.

This could have major implications for brand reputation, export potential, and long-term supply relationships for UK printers and packaging producers.

Those that believe the sale of printing brochures and packaging is separate to the sale of timber under the laws will also encounter issues, according to Willis. “EUDR applies to a wide range of wood-derived products, not just raw timber,” he says. “If printed products derived from wood move into, within, or from the EU, they may be caught by the regulation.”

The Interu platform is designed to empower users to securely and efficiently gather, verify, and share essential information across complex supply chains to satisfy the legal reporting requirements of the EUDR, while ensuring privacy.

Interu aims to offer a streamlined solution to supply chain data management, whether for meeting EUDR laws, abiding by ESG regulations, conducting risk assessments, or screening new suppliers.

Looming Deadlines

Summing up his feelings about the impact of EUDR to UK print, Willis concludes: “For the print industry, the choice is whether to react late under pressure, or to treat EUDR-style due diligence as part of a wider shift towards more transparent, data-driven, and resilient supply chains.

“Either way, the days when printed products could be treated as ‘out of scope’ for deforestation debates are coming to an end.”