The European Commission has proposed adding instant coffee to the scope of the European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), closing what officials describe as an unexplained gap in the rules.
Coffee in other forms - green, roasted, decaffeinated, and extracts - has been covered since the EUDR took effect. But soluble coffee was omitted for reasons that remain unclear. Once the change takes effect, the customs code for instant coffee will trigger mandatory due-diligence checks on imports into the European Union, forcing companies to verify that supplies do not come from deforested land.
Why this matters
Without instant coffee in scope, a company could source, process and package soluble coffee entirely outside Europe, then import the finished product into the bloc without deforestation scrutiny. Adding instant coffee to the rules is intended to prevent this loophole, ensuring that all coffee categories face the same compliance requirements at the border.
What the review changes
The Commission's review of EUDR also rejected a proposed "negligible" or "no-risk" category that some countries, including the United States, had lobbied for. The three existing risk tiers - low, standard and high - remain in place.
The Commission will reopen the EUDR IT system with new features designed to reduce compliance burden, including simpler declarations and tools that allow companies to submit "group submissions" for shared due diligence. By year-end, the Commission plans to launch databases covering relevant laws in producing countries and recognised certification schemes.
The review also expands scope to include certain palm oil derivatives such as soap made with palm oil, while leather has been excluded.
Timeline
The draft legislation is open for public feedback until June 1. Larger companies must comply by December 30, 2026, while smaller firms have until June 30, 2027 to meet the new requirements. The Commission has not signalled any further delay to these deadlines.