EU deforestation law faces pushback from 11 member states Austria and allies call for weaker rules to ease farm burden27 May 2025 27 May 2025 2 minute read 2 minute read By: By: Global Ag MediaThe European Union is facing further pressure from member countries to delay and weaken its upcoming law to restrict deforestation, with 11 governments demanding changes, a document seen by Reuters showed. A group of 11 countries, led by Austria and Luxembourg, has demanded the European Commission simplify the rules further, and urged delaying its application date again. They are disproportionate to the regulation's objective," the countries said in a paper, which EU agriculture ministers will discuss in Brussels on Monday. From December, the EU policy would require operators placing soy, beef, palm oil, cocoa, coffee and other goods onto the EU market, to provide due diligence statements proving the commodities did not fuel deforestation. Due diligence requirements would also apply to EU exports, making countries worried about the impact on their own industries.