WASHINGTON (News release) - American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Heidi Brock reacted to the European Commission's proposal to delay implementation of the European Union Deforestation-free Regulation (EUDR):

"AF&PA welcomes a delay and urges the EU to use this period to address more fundamental problems with the EUDR beyond IT system limitations. EUDR is, and continues to be, a non-tariff trade barrier for U.S. forest product exports into the EU. Additional changes are needed to address this regulation and the disproportionate and unworkable obligations on the U.S. pulp and paper industry, which is recognized by the EU as a negligible risk to global deforestation.

"The EUDR, which has been identified as a non-tariff trade barrier by the U.S. Trade Representative, risks over $3.5 billion in annual forest products exports to the EU. We encourage the EU to continue to work towards a fair and reciprocal trade relationship with the U.S."