Deforestation in Europe: Where it's happening and how to combat it

Explore the history of deforestation in Europe, how the EU is tackling deforestation, and how these new policies and initiatives impact suppliers globally.

Enero 26, 2026

While the continent has many lush forests and landscapes, deforestation in Europe has been a concern throughout history. It poses a significant threat to the continent's biodiversity and ecological stability, with the tree canopy mortality rate doubling since the turn of the century.

Compared to other regions of the world, such as the Amazon or Southeast Asia, the rate of deforestation and forest degradation in Europe may seem less severe, but it remains a pressing issue. Fortunately, recent efforts and sustainable practices have led to growth in forests across the European Union (EU), showcasing an evolving commitment to forest preservation.

Learn more about where deforestation in Europe is happening, how you can help combat it, and the recent policies implemented by the EU to fight it below.

Table of contents:

Key objectives of anti-deforestation regulations in Europe
Where deforestation is happening in Europe
Europe’s international deforestation footprint
Timeline of the EU's response to deforestation
Challenges to laws addressing deforestation in Europe
How you can help fight deforestation in Europe with FSC

Key objectives of anti-deforestation regulations in Europe

The European Commission has established a necessary framework for collective action, the five key objectives are:

Encourage the EU’s consumption of products that come from sustainable supply chains to reduce the demand for goods linked to deforestation
Collaborate with countries to reduce the demand for wood from forests
Cooperate internationally to reduce deforestation and forest degradation, as well as promote forest regrowth
Direct funds towards sustainable land-use practices and support conservation
Make accurate data on forests and supply chains accessible, and invest in research and innovation for more effective forest conservation solutions

A forest and sun accompany a list of the European Union’s five key objectives in fighting deforestation in Europe.

With an annual rate of 145,000 hectares between 2015 and 2025, deforestation in Europe is a key economic and environmental issue. Fighting it requires a unified, multi-stakeholder approach that pushes action beyond regulatory bodies.

Where deforestation is happening in Europe

Europe has a long and complicated history with its forests. In fact, more than half of the forests in Europe have disappeared over the past 6,000 years. Increased agricultural needs, the industrial revolution, urban development, and more have all contributed to Europe’s deforestation.

Despite the EU recognizing the importance of preserving its forests and implementing various policies to combat deforestation, its policies don't reach all countries on the continent. This means that, unfortunately, EU policies might not target the European countries with severe deforestation concerns, including parts of Russia.

A map of Europe shows where and the primary reason why deforestation is happening.

Deforestation in Europe is felt most in the following areas:

Nordic Region: Specifically, Finland and Sweden, despite being some of the most forested countries, are experiencing a significant decline in tall, mature forests. A large factor is industrial-scale logging, where trees are harvested for lumber.
Eastern Europe: Primarily in parts of Russia and Romania, deforestation results from illegal logging, high demand for wood fuel, and political corruption.
Central Europe: Countries including Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia experienced insect outbreaks of bark beetles caused by climate change. The infestation causes irreversible damage to the area’s spruce forests.
Southern Europe: Countries like Greece, Spain, and Portugal are experiencing increased wildfires, causing deforestation from climate change.
Western Europe: Countries like the Netherlands and Belgium, while not having high rates of deforestation within their borders, have high deforestation footprints.

While these regions cannot simply stop using wood, they can aim to reduce their contribution to forest degradation by prioritizing transparency in the supply chain.

For one, the responsible sourcing of materials is critical. A key part of this involves using FSC Controlled Wood, which mitigates the risk of forest products originating from unacceptable sources – such as illegally harvested timber or wood from forests where High Conservation Values are threatened. A Chain of Custody Certification provides a credible assurance that product materials originate from controlled sources, well-managed forests, or reclaimed materials.

Europe’s international deforestation footprint

Focusing on deforestation within Europe is important; however, the continent also leaves a significant international deforestation footprint.

The EU is the second-largest deforestation importer and is responsible for up to 16 per cent of global trade-related deforestation. This impact goes beyond the loss of biodiversity. Forests function as vital carbon sinks, which help to reduce air pollution by absorbing more carbon than they produce and releasing oxygen in exchange.

When these forests are cleared to meet trade demands, we lose this natural filtration system. This leads to a massive release of CO2, significantly increasing the global carbon footprint.

The following high-demand imports are the main contributors to the EU's international deforestation impact:

Cocoa
Oil palm products
Coffee
Soy
Cattle products

Prioritizing sustainable forestry and transparent supply chains is now more critical than ever, sparking a series of landmark legislative actions.

Timeline of the EU's response to deforestation

Recognizing its international footprint and the deforestation occurring within its borders, the EU has implemented several measures for positive change. These regulations leverage the EU taxonomy to establish clear, enforceable standards that link international trade and finance to forest protection.

Below are the key pieces of legislative milestones, beginning with the most recent, shaping how the EU is handling deforestation in Europe:

An illustrated timeline breaks down significant dates related to recent European Union efforts to combat deforestation.

1. 2023 EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products

How it combats deforestation in Europe: Enhanced regulation strengthens due diligence on products, ensuring key goods imported into the EU market will no longer contribute to deforestation and forest degradation in the EU and elsewhere.

The 2023 Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR) includes stringent requirements for products entering the EU market, particularly focusing on commodities notorious for their association with deforestation.

The EUDR replaces the EUTR, expanding its scope to a wider range of commodities. Key products this policy covers include:

Palm oil
Cattle
Soy
Coffee
Cocoa
Timber
Rubber
Derived products, like beef, furniture, and chocolate

A list explains what the EDUR is and how it targets the issue of deforestation.

These requirements are currently under a one-year delay, and will begin applying to medium and large operators and traders in December 2026.

Through the EUDR, the Union aims to minimize its environmental impact by mandating that businesses prove their products are deforestation-free. This shift enables sustainable consumption and requires companies to exercise rigorous due diligence across their global supply chains.

Due diligence involves assessing deforestation risks, implementing mitigation measures, and maintaining transparent records. These efforts align with the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality goals, integrating trade and biodiversity conservation into a single enforceable strategy.

FSC provides a set of solutions that offer a structured pathway to EUDR compliance. Companies can utilize the FSC Regulatory Module, a voluntary add-on standard clarifying what needs to be done for EUDR compliance by each FSC Certificate Holder across supply chains.

Additionally, the updated FSC Risk Assessment Framework provides a comprehensive tool for companies to assess and mitigate risk of sourcing forest materials. FSC has also released FSC Trace, a new digital tool for traceability, data sharing, and due diligence reporting.

By utilizing these solutions, companies will be able to more effectively demonstrate their supply chains are deforestation-free while supporting the EU’s overarching climate and biodiversity goals.

The EU regulation also seeks to incentivize global supply chains to adopt sustainable practices, fostering responsible production and consumption patterns while promoting the conservation of forest ecosystems.

Failure to meet these standards may result in penalties or exclusion from the EU market, posing challenges for businesses that rely on exporting goods linked to deforestation. In short, this regulation serves to compel companies across the globe to prioritize responsible production practices.

2. 2020 European Green Deal

How it combats deforestation in Europe: While it isn’t a law, the Green Deal is a framework for the protection and restoration of ecosystems and directly led to the creation of the EUDR.

The European Green Deal is the EU’s comprehensive roadmap to transition Europe toward a climate-balanced future through an economically and socially fair process. Its central goal is to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.

This central goal emphasizes clean technology, circular economy principles, and biodiversity protection, and touches every sector, including:

Energy
Transportation
Industry
Agriculture
Finance

The goal will be achieved through cutting emissions by at least half by 2030, and then implementing further reductions to 55 per cent.

Forests in particular were made a priority in the European Green Deal. The Environment and Oceans policy within the Deal prompted specific strategies to protect nature. Additionally, the Deal provided the political will and the binding legal framework to make the EUDR possible.

3. 2019 Stepping up EU action to protect and restore the world’s forests

How it combats deforestation in Europe: The EU intensifies efforts to safeguard forests globally, promoting restoration for a sustainable future.

In July 2019, the European Union launched an initiative titled ‘Stepping up EU action to protect and restore the world’s forests,’ demonstrating its commitment to global forest conservation and restoration efforts.

At its core, the initiative seeks to address the myriad threats facing forests, including deforestation, degradation, and unsustainable land-use practices. By prioritizing forest protection and restoration, the EU aims to combat biodiversity loss, mitigate climate change, and promote sustainable development on a global scale.

Central to this initiative is recognizing forests' crucial role in supporting biodiversity, regulating the climate, and providing essential ecosystem services, all of which align with the concept of climate-smart forestry.

Through improved cooperation with international partners, the EU aims to leverage its resources and expertise to support forest conservation and restoration projects across the globe. Fostering international collaboration is key to this aim, which can empower stakeholders in forest-rich regions to contribute to global conservation efforts.

4. 2013 EU Timber Regulation

How it helped combat deforestation in Europe: The EUTR is an important step in the EU’s efforts to curb deforestation through the limitation of illegal logging and by reducing the demand for illegally harvested timber.

The EU Timber Regulation entered into application 10 years after the FLEGT Action Plan in March 2013. While complementary to the EU FLEGT Action Plan, the EUTR is designed to combat illegal logging and the trade of illegally harvested timber, specifically within the European Union.

It requires that EU operators exercise due diligence to minimize the risk of placing illegally harvested timber on the EU market. To help fulfil this obligation, operators must:

Gather information: Collect details about the timber, including its country of origin, species, quantity, supplier information, and compliance with relevant national laws.
Assess risk: Evaluate the risk of illegal timber in their supply chain based on the gathered information and specific EUTR criteria.
Mitigate risk: Implement measures like requiring additional information and verification from suppliers to reduce the risk of illegal timber entering the supply chain.
Maintain records: Keep records of suppliers and customers to ensure traceability.

While the EUTR is a valuable piece of legislation, it was scheduled to be repealed in December 2024 to make way for the Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR).

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) umbrella can help businesses streamline their due diligence process and compliance journey with EUDR solutions. FSC certification helps ensure compliance with requirements and reduces the risk of illegal timber.

However, operators must still collect basic product information, such as country of origin and species, and verify their supplier's FSC certificate.

5. 2003 EU FLEGT Action Plan

How it combats deforestation in Europe: The EU FLEGT Action Plan worked with VPAs, supporting a global effort to reduce deforestation and protect biodiversity.

The EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan is a comprehensive initiative designed to combat illegal logging and promote sustainable forest management at an international scale.

Recognizing the significant negative impact of deforestation, the EU implemented this plan to help ensure timber imported into the European Union originated from legal and sustainably managed sources.

Addressing the issues identified in the FLEGT Action Plan is one way the European Commission addressed priorities following the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD).

The plan operates through Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) with timber-producing countries to strengthen the EU's forest governance systems and promote responsible forestry practices.

The FLEGT Action Plan is a culmination of years of collaboration, and ultimately led to even more robust legislation to fight illegal logging domestically, like the EUTR.

Challenges to laws addressing deforestation in Europe

Implementation and execution of these landmark pieces of legislation have recently faced significant hurdles. This includes the delay of an anti-deforestation law directly related to the EUDR due to companies’ belief that such laws are too much for them to implement as written.

With compliance deadlines for medium-large companies pushed back a year as lawmakers re-review the existing law, the timeline for deforestation-linked products entering the market also extends.

As bureaucratic changes are made to these laws, individuals have more power to make positive impacts. Small ways you can make an impact include:

Being aware of deforestation facts
Making changes to your consumption habits to avoid causes of deforestation
Advocating for change

How you can help fight deforestation in Europe with FSC

Combating deforestation in Europe and globally requires a coordinated effort to adjust supply chain operations. You have the power to demand verification that the products you source and use come from responsibly managed forests.

Incorporate these steps in daily life to be a part of the solution to deforestation and contribute to a healthier future for Europe’s vital ecosystems and the planet:

Look for the FSC label on wood, paper, bamboo and other products that are made of forest-based fibers.
Support sustainable businesses by researching companies that are committed to limiting the impact of deforestation through practices like sustainable sourcing.
Stay informed and advocate for change on environmental policies. In addition to FSC, the World Wildlife Fund provides a plethora of resources focused on combating deforestation worldwide.

Learn more about how your organization can be part of the solution by exploring the comprehensive resources and tools available with FSC solutions.

Additional resources

View the European Commission Directorate-General for the Environment to stay updated on the latest policies, initiatives, and publications related to deforestation prevention and sustainable forestry practices within the European Union.

Access United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP’s) resources and reports on biodiversity conservation, forest restoration, and sustainable development goals related to forestry and land use.