27.03.2026
EUDR represents a major shift for global supply chains, requiring companies to demonstrate that products placed on the EU market are deforestation-free, legal, and traceable. In this context, the Community of Practice (CoP) has been established as a collaborative platform to support the effective and coordinated implementation of the regulation.
The Community of Practice brings together a wide range of stakeholders—including companies, industry associations, NGOs, and other key actors—across different commodity sectors. Its objective is to facilitate practical exchanges on implementation challenges, share best practices, and contribute to a clearer and more harmonised application of the EUDR. By creating a space for dialogue between operators and stakeholders, the CoP aims to ensure that the regulation is implemented in a proportionate, inclusive and operational manner.
The Community of Practice is led by the European Forest Institute (EFI), an international organisation recognised for its expertise in forest-related issues, which ensures its coordination and facilitation.
ATIBT is proud to be part of this Community of Practice, contributing its expertise on tropical timber supply chains, particularly in the Congo Basin. Through its participation, ATIBT will bring forward the realities of the timber sector, including the specific challenges related to forest management, traceability systems and the inclusion of smallholders and local operators. This engagement also reflects ATIBT’s longstanding commitment to promoting legal, sustainable and certified tropical timber.
Within the Community of Practice, a Core Group has been established to structure and guide discussions. This smaller group gathers a balanced representation of stakeholders, including major operators such as Sucafina, Ferrero, Bunge, Mars, IKEA and AAK, as well as traders and producers such as Walter Matter, Tony’s Chocolonely, Marks & Spencer, Nestlé, Danzer and Grupo Garnica. NGOs including Earthsight, EIA, WWF and Voice Network also contribute, with a rotational system ensuring diversity of perspectives.
To reflect the complexity of timber supply chains, an additional representative has been included within the “Traders, SMEs and Producers” category, ensuring that the specific challenges of the sector are adequately addressed. In parallel, certification schemes will be engaged through dedicated sessions, recognising their key role while ensuring a broader and more inclusive representation of expertise.
The first Core Group session will take place on 31 March, with outcomes to be shared publicly. These discussions will play a key role in identifying practical solutions, clarifying expectations and supporting operators in their compliance efforts.
This initiative comes at a critical moment. Many companies and producer countries have already made significant investments to comply with the EUDR, including the development of traceability systems and due diligence processes. Ensuring a stable and predictable regulatory framework is therefore essential to maintain trust and enable effective implementation.
By participating in the Community of Practice, ATIBT reaffirms its commitment to supporting a pragmatic, coordinated and inclusive implementation of the EUDR—one that recognises existing efforts and ensures that sustainable tropical timber supply chains remain viable and contribute to global forest conservation.
