SFPA Statement on the EUDR and Recent US–EU Trade Developments

Through its representation on the Industry Trade Advisory Committee for Forest Products & Building Materials (ITAC-8), the Southern Forest Products Association (SFPA) has actively communicated its concerns regarding the European Union Deforestation-free Regulation (EUDR).

We welcome the recent announcement from the White House regarding the US–EU Framework Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair, and Balanced Trade.

Notably, the European Union has committed to addressing U.S. concerns about the EUDR, acknowledging that U.S. commodity production poses negligible risk to global deforestation.

This recognition is a positive step toward ensuring Southern Pine lumber producers and exporters are not unfairly burdened by regulations that fail to account for the sustainability and stewardship practices already in place within the American forestry sector.

SFPA continues to engage with US trade representatives and the Department of Commerce, as well as other organizations representing affected commodities, to highlight the significant challenges the EUDR poses to the agricultural and forest products supply chain.

The EUDR’s stringent traceability requirements (such as geolocation data for every plot of land from which timber is sourced) present serious compliance obstacles for U.S. producers.

Recognizing the broad impact of the EUDR across multiple agricultural sectors, the forest products industry is strategically voicing its objections through official trade and commerce channels. SFPA’s involvement in ITAC-8 ensures that the forest products sector is represented in policy discussions and that its concerns are conveyed directly to decision-makers.

SFPA remains committed to working collaboratively with government agencies, allied organizations, and international partners to ensure that trade regulations support both environmental goals and fair market access for U.S. forest products.

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