The European Pallet Association e.V. (EPAL) has clarified that the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which takes effect on December 30, 2025, does not impose any obligations or additional costs on users of EPAL pallets. According to the association, the regulation has no impact on the logistics processes of suppliers or recipients, nor on the exchange of EPAL pallets.<\/p>\n
While new EPAL pallets fall under the scope of the EUDR, loaded and used pallets are explicitly excluded. Suppliers and recipients do not need to check the EUDR conformity of EPAL pallets when delivering, receiving, or storing goods. \u201cPallets loaded with goods are expressly excluded from the application of the EUDR,\u201d said Jarek Maci\u0105\u017cek, President of EPAL. \u201cThis means that neither suppliers nor recipients of goods on EPAL pallets face additional compliance requirements.\u201d<\/p>\n
The exemption extends to used pallets, meaning that the exchange, sale, or transport of empty EPAL pallets will not trigger EUDR obligations. \u201cEPAL pallets are reused for many years, and to extend their service life they are sorted and repaired,\u201d said Davide Dellavalle, Vice-President of EPAL. \u201cEven short transport routes for empty pallets, which are common given the large network of EPAL users, remain unaffected by the EUDR.\u201d<\/p>\n
EPAL also confirmed that the EUDR conformity of new pallets, which applies to used pallets as well, will be guaranteed by manufacturers. Wood sourcing will continue to be documented to ensure it is not linked to deforestation or forest degradation. \u201cReusable EPAL wooden pallets remain the most sustainable solution in pallet logistics,\u201d said Bernd D\u00f6rre, CEO of EPAL. \u201cCompared with plastic pallets, they offer companies a clear advantage in terms of carbon footprint and environmental impact. With EUDR conformity, companies can have even greater confidence that pallet use and exchange support sustainability goals.\u201d<\/p>\n
The EUDR covers not only timber but also agricultural commodities such as coffee, cocoa, palm oil, soy, rubber, and livestock, focusing on products linked to historical deforestation. Wood, however, has been regulated under the European Timber Regulation (EUTR) since 2010, and EPAL manufacturers are already experienced in verifying the origin, legality, and sustainability of their wood products. The EUDR extends these requirements to products manufactured or exported within the EU.<\/p>\n
For industrial and logistics markets, the clarification removes uncertainty around compliance, ensuring that EPAL pallets continue to circulate freely across Europe without creating additional administrative or operational burdens.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":96926,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5204],"tags":[3400,5813,3402],"class_list":["post-96925","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news","tag-epal","tag-eudr","tag-pallets","topic-wood-products","area-europe","area-global"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n