EU Faces Pushback From Chocolate Industry Over Deforestation Law Postponement

European chocolate companies Nestlé, Mars, and Ferrero have urged the EU Commission to avoid delaying implementation of the EU’s deforestation regulation (EUDR) by another year.

In an open letter dated October 3, 2025, the firms said they have invested in preparing for compliance and argued that a further postponement will undermine industry trust, increase compliance costs, and put forests at risk. The Commission cited heavy pressure on its IT system, which is expected to process up to one billion due diligence certificates annually, as the reason for the delay. The EUDR, approved by EU lawmakers, requires sellers of commodities such as beef, coffee, palm oil, and cocoa to prove goods are not linked to deforested land after December 31, 2020.