The European Commission has proposed adding instant coffee to the list of products subject to the incoming EU anti-deforestation law.
In its “simplification review” yesterday (4 May), the EU’s executive arm said “the product scope has been refined” in its draft Delegate Act to cover more goods including “soluble coffee”.
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The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) requires businesses selling cocoa, coffee, palm oil and other products in the bloc to prove their supply chains do not contribute to deforestation.
Up until now, instant-coffee products have not been included within the regulation’s scope.
According to the Commission’s draft “delegated regulation”, not including instant coffee within the legislation “creates a fragmented and incoherent approach for the coffee sector for operators placing the relevant goods on the Union market” given the product can be sold in the EU and exported without abiding by the EUDR rules.
This, the document added, “may result in the relocation rather than the elimination of the deforestation risk”.
The draft legislation is open to public feedback until 1 June.
A statement from The European Coffee Federation said it saw the move as “an important step towards a more coherent and workable framework for the sector”.
Eileen GordonLaity, secretary general of the European Coffee Federation, added. “Including soluble coffee in the scope would support fair competitive conditions within the internal market and reinforce the Regulation’s environmental integrity.
“Aligning requirements across coffee categories is essential for both the effective implementation of the regulation and for operators preparing for compliance ahead of the application date.”
In December, EU states endorsed a delay to the bloc’s deforestation regulation by one year.
Implementation of the rules for all operators was pushed to 30 December 2026, with “an extra six-month cushion” being given to “micro and small operators”.
It followed growing industry pressure and concerns over the readiness of the IT infrastructure needed to enforce the law.
In a statement at the time, the EU’s European Council confirmed it had also “formally adopted a targeted revision” of the EUDR.
The EUDR, first proposed in 2021, was originally due to apply from 30 December 2024 but has faced regular calls from member states and the food industry to delay its implementation.
