Making sense of the EU Parliament objection to EUDR country benchmarks
Preferred by Nature has received a number of enquiries following the recent vote in the European Parliament on the EUDR country benchmarks. The outline below aims to clarify some misunderstandings about the significance of the vote.
On 9 July, the European Parliament voted in plenary on a motion for a resolution objecting to the methodology and results of the EUDR country benchmark classifications. The motion specifically targeted Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1093 which lists the risk status of countries.
At a political level, the vote tested whether the Parliament supports the Commission’s approach to developing the benchmarking methodology and classifying countries as low, standard, or high risk.
Why did this vote take place?
Under its rules of procedure, the European Parliament may express its opinion on Implementing and Delegated Acts, such as the Act relating to country benchmarks.
Regardless of underlying political motivations, this process allows Parliament to exercise oversight on non-legislative measures that it believes may exceed the Commission’s mandate, create political or technical issues, or require further scrutiny.
What did the motion propose?
The motion raised several concerns about Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1093. These included the robustness of the country benchmark methodology, the quality of data employed, and the level of transparency and engagement with stakeholders. Among other requests, it called on the Commission to:
- repeal the Implementing Regulation
- revise the country benchmarking system to ensure it uses up-to-date data, allows for regional differentiation, and applies transparent weighting of risk indicators
- establish clear, time-bound, and transparent procedures for reassessing countries’ risk status on a regular basis using updated scientific data.
The motion also emphasised the importance of engaging with commodity-producing countries and stakeholders and called for complementary measures to support the benchmarking process.
What happened during the vote?
The motion was adopted:
- 373 voted in favour
- 289 voted against
- 26 abstentions
What happens now?
Preferred by Nature has observed a degree of confusion and concern regarding the implications of the vote. To clarify: this resolution is not legally binding. The Commission’s Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1093 is not blocked or annulled, and the Commission is under no obligation to withdraw it.
In other words, the country benchmark classifications remain in force. The Commission may choose to revise or withdraw the regulation, but it is not required to do so.
The adopted motion instructs the President of the European Parliament to forward the resolution to the Council, the Commission, and the governments and parliaments of the Member States. This adds some political pressure on the Commission to take action, although this is unclear at this stage, if and what actions it may take. There are several potential pathways for action.
The Commission has already committed to revisiting the country benchmarks in 2026 and may choose to rely on this upcoming revision. Alternatively, it could opt to amend the Implementing Regulation earlier. Any such amendment could take place while the current version of (EU) 2025/1093 (and its risks classifications) remains in force, without necessarily disrupting its application.
Watch this space for further developments!
Our advice to stakeholders
Keep calm and carry on. There is insufficient information, in this vote alone, to justify any shift in direction for EUDR preparations.
Continue developing your due diligence systems under the current low, standard, and high-risk categories. The existing benchmark classifications remain unchanged.
Monitor ongoing developments at the EU level and in the wider policy landscape.
Engage where possible. Stakeholder voices continue to matter in achieving effective EUDR implementation.
Set a higher ambition: Independently of the EUDR, addressing deforestation and other sustainability risks in your supply chains continues to be good for business and the planet.
For more information on the EUDR, visit our dedicated webpage.
Unsure if your business is impacted by the EUDR? Find out with our EUDR Scoping Tool.
Need support with your due diligence obligations? Explore our Due Diligence Toolkit.
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