​UK Moves to Ban Imports Linked to Illegal Deforestation Overseas

The UK government has proposed new legislation requiring businesses to assess their supply chains to ensure key imported commodities are not linked to illegal forest clearance worldwide.
​The policy proposal, announced on Wednesday by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), targets major forest-risk goods including palm oil, soy, cocoa, coffee, timber, rubber, and cattle.
​Under the proposed framework, companies handling these commodities will face mandatory due diligence obligations to verify that their products originate from legally harvested and non-deforested land.
​The initiative was unveiled through a public consultation launched on November 11, seeking feedback from businesses, environmental advocacy groups, and international trade partners. The proposed regulations rely on existing powers within the UK Environment Act 2021 and aim to strengthen the current UK Timber Regulation.
​The announcement coincided with the COP31 Leaders’ Summit Event on Forests in Antalya, where international ministers gathered to discuss global climate action.
​According to government data, UK consumption of goods associated with deforestation accounted for approximately 29,000 hectares of forest loss in 2023—an area one and a half times the size of Manchester—and generated 9.4 million tonnes of carbon emissions.
​Defra Secretary Dame Angela Eagle highlighted the climate risks associated with unchecked supply chains, stressing that consumer confidence is central to the policy.
​”We cannot tackle climate change without acting to protect the world’s forests, which contain some of our planet’s most valuable wildlife and habitats,” Eagle said. “British consumers want to feel confident that the everyday goods they buy are not driving devastating illegal deforestation abroad, and so we are stepping in to give them that certainty.”
​”This government is determined to stamp illegal deforestation out of UK supply chains for good and show global leadership on tackling the climate and nature crises,” she added.
​The proposed measures build on commitments made by 145 countries at the COP26 summit in Glasgow to halt and reverse forest degradation by 2030.
​To prevent trade friction within the UK internal market, the government noted that the European Union’s Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR) will take effect in Northern Ireland in phases starting December 30, 2026, due to the region’s dual market status. Officials encouraged UK businesses to begin auditing their supply lines ahead of enforcement.