Webinar: Updates on the United Kingdom's Deforestation Regulation

On September 11, 2026, the EUDR Forestry Network and Forest Trends collaborated to organize the webinar “Updates on the United Kingdom's Deforestation Regulation” to provide updates on the latest directions from the UK in developing regulations related to deforestation and supply chain due diligence for commodities.

At the event, Mr. Tom Alpe, Policy Advisor at the UK Foreign Office, shared insights into the anticipated approach in Great Britain, its relationship with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), as well as key points for Vietnamese businesses and regulatory bodies to consider in the coming period.

According to Mr. Tom Alpe, international markets are increasingly strengthening requirements for agricultural and forestry products trade towards greater traceability, legality, and sustainability. In this context, supply chain due diligence measures are considered by the UK as an important tool to establish clear requirements and foster a level playing field for market participants.

An important point clarified at the event was that the UK will adopt two different approaches for Northern Ireland and Great Britain. According to the UK Government's announcement on June 23, 2026, the EUDR will apply in Northern Ireland from the end of December 2026. Meanwhile, Great Britain, comprising England, Scotland, and Wales, will develop its own mandatory due diligence mechanism, operating in parallel with the EUDR. The UK Government also plans to strengthen the UK Timber Regulation and, in the long term, move towards a deforestation-free standard.

Great Britain expected to apply requirements to 7 commodity groups

Under current proposals, the scope of commodities in Great Britain will correspond to the seven core commodity groups under the EUDR, namely cattle products, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy, and wood.

Businesses with a global turnover exceeding £1 million are expected to ensure that regulated commodities are produced in accordance with relevant laws in the country of production; establish a due diligence system and report annually. Businesses will also be required to collect, retain, and transmit geolocation data throughout the supply chain.

During the discussion session, Mr. Tom Alpe emphasized that the requirement for geolocation data is a key point to support traceability. According to current guidelines, Great Britain expects to require businesses to have geolocation information linked to the production area and aims to leverage existing systems and databases being developed by businesses, governments, and stakeholders to comply with EUDR, rather than creating an entirely new system.

This was also a topic that received many questions from Vietnam, especially given that agricultural and forestry production involves a large number of Smallholder and production land areas are often fragmented. Delegates raised questions about the level of detail for geolocation data, the ability to control commodity volumes linked to each production area, as well as the costs of collecting information at the plot level. According to Mr. Tom Alpe, many technical details related to how geolocation data will be applied are still being developed and will be an important topic in the upcoming policy consultation process.

Compatible with EUDR but not entirely identical to EUDR

One of the UK's notable directions is to create operational compatibility between Great Britain's policy and the EUDR.

Anticipated similarities include commodity scope, traceability requirements based on geolocation data, a simpler approach for some downstream businesses in the supply chain, as well as the potential to utilize existing EUDR compliance systems.

However, Great Britain does not currently intend to apply all EUDR requirements. In the initial phase, the focus will be on ensuring commodities are produced legally under land use and ownership laws in the country of origin, rather than immediately implementing a “deforestation-free” standard. The UK Government also does not currently intend to apply a country-based risk classification system, does not require businesses with a turnover below £1 million to participate, does not add new customs controls at the border, and does not require the submission of a Due Diligence Statement at the time goods enter Great Britain.

During the Q&A session, Mr. Tom Alpe further explained that in the initial phase, if commodities are produced on land legally used under the laws of the producing country, prior forest conversion, if legally permitted, will not automatically disqualify the commodities from accessing the Great Britain market. However, in the long term, the UK still aims to transition to a deforestation-free standard; at which point, issues such as timelines, forest definitions, and land conversion criteria may be further considered.

He also noted that EUDR compliance will not automatically equate to meeting Great Britain's regulations, as these are two distinct policies. However, the UK Government's direction is to allow systems developed for EUDR to continue to be used, thereby limiting the need for businesses to re-collect the same type of information for multiple markets.

Vietnam encouraged to participate in the consultation process

The UK Government expects to open a consultation process on the proposals in autumn 2026. According to the presentation, the consultation process will focus on policy scope, due diligence requirements, traceability, and geolocation data, as well as how the system in Great Britain can operate in parallel with existing EUDR compliance systems. Mr. Tom Alpe stated that the consultation process is expected to be conducted publicly online and could last approximately six weeks. The UK Government particularly encourages the Government of Vietnam, businesses, industry associations, and relevant organizations to participate and provide feedback.

According to him, feedback from producing countries like Vietnam will help policymakers better understand existing data systems, challenges in transmitting information through complex supply chains, as well as practical issues that may arise during the implementation of the regulation.

For Vietnam, these new directions from the UK indicate that requirements for legality, traceability, and production area data will continue to be crucial factors in international agricultural and forestry trade. Current investment in production area data systems, traceability, and preparing for EUDR compliance therefore not only serves the EU market, but can also lay the groundwork for businesses to adapt to similar requirements in other major markets in the future.

About the speaker: Mr. Tom Alpe, is a Trade Policy Advisor at the UK International Forestry Unit, with over 10 years of experience in policy and programs related to tropical forests, sustainable trade, and legal supply chains. He has also supported the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in developing the UK's deforestation regulations.