Brussels, Belgium
July 13, 2026
Euroseeds welcomes the European Commission’s decision to exclude soybean seeds for sowing from the scope of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), through the Delegated Act adopted on 13 July 2026 amending Annex I of the Regulation. The change provides an important clarification for the European seed and plant breeding sector and reflects the specific nature of the seed value chain.
Euroseeds has strongly advocated for the exclusion of soybean seeds for sowing from the EUDR, consistently highlighting that certified soybean seed belongs to a distinct, highly regulated and traceable value chain that does not drive deforestation or land-use change.
Applying EUDR due diligence requirements to soybean seed for sowing would have created disproportionate administrative burdens for seed companies and breeders, while offering little additional contribution to the Regulation’s environmental objectives. Euroseeds also warned that such requirements could restrict access to breeding material, hamper innovation and undermine efforts to strengthen European plant protein production.
Beyond the direct benefits for the seed and plant breeding sector, this decision underlines the importance of meaningful, well-informed differentiation in policymaking. Achieving the EU’s environmental and sustainability objectives requires regulatory measures that are targeted at activities genuinely associated with deforestation risks. Applying the same requirements to sectors that do not contribute to deforestation, such as soybean breeding and seed production, would create unnecessary burdens without delivering additional environmental benefits. Recognising these distinctions helps ensure that policy measures remain effective, proportionate and aligned with their intended objectives.
This outcome provides greater legal certainty for seed companies and plant breeders while ensuring that the EUDR remains focused on products genuinely linked to deforestation risks. Euroseeds views this as a positive example of evidence-based policymaking that combines environmental ambition with proportionality, supporting innovation, competitiveness and strategic autonomy in European agriculture while keeping regulatory efforts focused where they can deliver the greatest impact.
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