Euroseeds is urging the European Commission to exclude soybean seeds for sowing from the scope of the EU Deforestation Regulation following publication of a simplification review and technical amendments, including proposed changes to Annex I.
The organization submitted a letter to the Commission in response to the draft act, reiterating its position that soybean seeds for sowing should not fall under the regulation. While the Commission has acknowledged the request for further analysis, seeds for sowing remain within scope following the December 2025 update.
The EU Deforestation Regulation is designed to address commodities linked to deforestation. Euroseeds argues that soybean seeds for sowing operate within a distinct and highly regulated value chain that does not drive land-use change or deforestation. The group maintains that including these inputs would create disproportionate administrative and financial burdens for seed companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, without delivering meaningful environmental benefits.
Euroseeds also warns that applying the regulation to seeds for sowing could limit access to breeding material, slow innovation and weaken broader European Union efforts to expand domestic plant protein production.
The organization is calling on the European Commission to introduce a targeted legal clarification or amendment that would exempt certified soybean seeds for sowing from the regulation’s scope.
Source: Euroseeds, "Euroseeds calls for exemption of soybean seeds for sowing from EUDR scope"