Kenyan farmers exporting coffee, tea, cocoa, and timber to Europe have received a major boost after the European Commission proposed a one-year extension for small and micro enterprises under the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The law, originally set to take effect on December 30, 2025, will now allow small firms until December 30, 2026 to meet compliance standards.
The EUDR aims to ensure that products entering the European market do not contribute to global deforestation. However, concerns had arisen that the EU’s online due diligence system designed to track all deforestation-linked goods could be overwhelmed by submissions from thousands of global exporters.
For Kenya, one of Africa’s leading agricultural exporters to Europe, the extension comes as welcome news. It will give smallholder farmers and cooperatives additional time to align with stringent EU traceability and sustainability rules that require proof that products are sourced from deforestation-free land.
According to the European Commission, the proposed changes will simplify reporting for small producers, particularly those in low-risk countries. Instead of submitting multiple due diligence statements, small suppliers will now make a single one-off declaration in the EU’s digital system or be exempt entirely if their data is already recorded through national databases or exporters.
Larger companies, including European importers handling Kenyan goods, will still need to comply by December 2025. However, they will benefit from a six-month grace period to complete checks and enforcement measures to ensure minimal supply chain disruption.
In June 2024, the EU classified Kenya as a low-risk country under its deforestation rules—a move confirmed during a meeting between Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe and EU Ambassador Henriette Geiger.
With Kenya’s exports to the EU reaching Ksh450 billion in 2023, and the EU-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement now in effect, the extension marks a significant step toward sustainable trade that safeguards both the environment and smallholder livelihoods.
