"The EU Commission must use the planned postponement of the EU Deforestation Regulation to make it more practical and reduce avoidable bureaucracy. In particular, dealer obligations must be simplified. It is particularly important to limit the scope of checks to the first import of relevant raw materials or products into the EU or the first placing on the market. Furthermore, a risk-based approach should be introduced and a minimum proportion of relevant raw materials in relevant products should be established. These measures would avoid further unnecessary bureaucratic burdens for companies while the objective of the regulation will be maintained. The German automotive industry continues to support the objective.

We expressly welcome the German government's recent announcement that it will advocate for a practical and low-bureaucracy design of the EU Deforestation Regulation in Brussels."