BRUSSELS — Việt Nam has been officially classified as a “low-risk” country under the European Union’s new Anti-Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), according to a recent announcement by the European Commission (EC) in Brussels.

The classification means that Vietnamese exports to the EU will be subject to simplified due diligence requirements, easing the compliance burden on businesses.

The EUDR, set to take effect by the end of 2025, is part of the EU’s wider efforts to curb global deforestation by enforcing tighter controls on agricultural and forestry supply chains. The regulation applies to seven key commodities, including wood, cocoa, coffee, soy, palm oil, rubber and beef, as well as derived products such as leather, chocolate and furniture.

According to the EC’s recent legal publication, only four countries have been classified as “high-risk”, namely Belarus, Myanmar, the Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Russia.

According to Trần Văn Công, Việt Nam’s Agricultural Counsellor to Belgium and the EU, the low-risk classification is a positive outcome of sustained cooperation between the two sides, including Việt Nam’s engagement in the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (VPA/FLEGT), as well as efforts in environmental protection and sustainable development. — VNS