Intergraf, the European printing industry association, is calling for a postponement of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). It recognises the European Commission’s efforts to streamline the legislation by creating the category of ‘downstream operators’ with reduced due diligence obligations. However, according to Intergraf, the proposal entails significant changes along the value chain. Changes that require sufficient time for stakeholders, policymakers and Member States to analyse. Given the current deadline of 30 December 2025, this is extremely difficult.
Of the 100,000 European companies in the printing industry, 95% employ fewer than 20 people. These companies will be confronted with a very large number of DDS reference numbers and declaration identifiers that accumulate along the value chain. According to Intergraf, processing, assigning and transmitting such a large number of reference numbers is not feasible for the industry. There is agreement on protecting forests and preventing deforestation, but not on how processing such large amounts of data will lead to tangible environmental benefits and reduce forest destruction. Intergraf therefore calls for the obligation to transmit DDS reference numbers and declaration identifiers to be lifted and replaced by traceability in the form of a record of suppliers and customers (name and address of the operator and, in the case of export or import, the EORI number (Economic Operators Registration and Identification)).
The EU Commission is urged to introduce a ‘stop-the-clock’ mechanism that allows decision-makers to adequately assess the impact and implementation of the regulation. The aim must be to identify genuine simplification measures and make the obligations of the EUDR workable, while preserving the environmental objective of the regulation, namely combating deforestation, which is strongly supported by the printing industry.
Intergraf
As the European association for the printing industry, Intergraf represents employers in the graphic arts sector. Intergraf also advocates for the European printing industry vis-à-vis the EU and works with political decision-makers to support the competitiveness of the printing industry through advocacy, information exchange, networking, campaigns, social dialogue and EU projects. Its members include 22 national printing associations from 21 countries as full members and 14 other European companies as associate members.
