Legal - EU Deforestation Regulation
Cambridge and the EU Deforestation Regulation
Summary
The European Commission passed the European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) into law on 29 June 2023.
The regulation was intended to apply to all forestry commodities entering or leaving the EU market from 30 December 2025. It requires organisations putting forestry related products on the market in the EU to prove where the source materials came from, evidencing they were procured legally and providing the geolocation of the tree/source.
On 4 December 2025, the European Union agreed to a proposal to postpone the application of EUDR for 12 months. It also agreed a proposal to amend the scope of EUDR to exclude printed products, such as books, newspapers, or exam materials, reflecting the limited deforestation risk associated with these items. This agreement is expected to be formally endorsed by the European Parliament in the coming weeks.
It is our expectation that the provisional agreement will be formally endorsed by the EU Parliament and Council and printed products will be excluded from the scope of EUDR.
On this basis, Cambridge will not be passing EUDR related requirements onto suppliers or its customers at this time.
Cambridge remains committed to reducing its impact on the environment and more information about our progress can be found on our People and Planet page as well as our Responsibility Report 2025.
Contacting us
For more information relating to Cambridge’s response to the EUDR, please contact eudrqueries@cambridge.org
Customer FAQs
What does EUDR stand for?
European Union Deforestation Regulation
What is the EUDR?
Legislation designed to minimise the consumption of products coming from supply chains associated with deforestation or forest degradation. Materials in scope include paper and board, printed paper products, beef and cattle, leather goods, palm oil, cocoa, coffee, soy, rubber and wood.
What do organisations have to do?
The EUDR requires any organisation putting forestry related products on the market in the EU to prove where the source materials came from. Organisations must provide a due diligence certificate to the EU stating the origin of the materials used in the products they are importing, evidencing that they were procured legally and providing the geolocation of the tree/source.
Which Cambridge products are affected?
Following the endorsement by the EU Parliament to remove printed products from the scope of the EUDR on 4th December 2025, we anticipate that Cambridge products will not be affected by the regulation.
How sustainable is the paper Cambridge already uses?
Overall, 60 percent of all the paper used in publishing, assessments and supporting materials comes from certified sustainable sources. These are sources that are audited and externally verified by certification schemes as meeting a series of stringent requirements relating to social and environmental factors. In our Cambridge University Press books and journals, 75 percent contain only paper and board that is certified, and the remaining 25 percent are being updated to include paper and board from sources rated by the Publishers Database for Responsible Environmental Paper Sourcing (PREPS).
Do I have any obligations under the EUDR?
Cambridge is unable to advise its customers on their legal obligations so we encourage any organisation potentially impacted by the EUDR to seek independent advice to ensure that they understand their obligations. The EUDR website is available for direct details and updates: Publications – European Commission (europa.eu)
Will Cambridge be requiring its suppliers to provide EUDR due diligence information about products it purchases?
No. Cambridge will not be passing on any EUDR relate requirements to its suppliers at this time.
Why are you providing this information if Cambridge products are not in scope?
Whilst Cambridge products are no longer in scope for the regulation, the wider regulation will continue to be implemented. The EU Parliament is merely delaying the implementation by a further 12 months for large and medium sized organisations and a further 18 months for small and micro organisations. Cambridge stakeholders should be aware of our position to avoid any confusion that the continued preparation for requirements for other products may cause.
We encourage you to check the EUDR website for updates relating to implementing requirements for other products if you feel this may be applicable to your organisation.
Will there be any delays to receiving my products from this regulation?
Due to the volume of timber related products requiring additional checks at EU borders, there may be delays to goods impacted by EUDR entering the EU at the time of the implementation date. Whilst this remains outside of our control, any customer who is concerned about delays should contact their existing Cambridge sales representative to discuss alternatives.
Will there be any increase in prices as a result of the EUDR?
We do not anticipate any price increases relating to Cambridge products because of the implementation of the EUDR.
Who should I contact if I have a question?
For any queries relating to Cambridge University Press & Assessment and the EUDR, please contact eudrqueries@cambridge.org
