Leather, re-treaded tires and some packaging materials will no longer be in scope for the EU’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), due to apply in law from December 30 this year. The EU says that the changes, which are part of a simplification package published on May 4, should reduce companies’ annual compliance costs by about 75 percent.

Ruth Prickett graduated from Cambridge University with a BA hons in History and has specialized in business and finance journalism for the past 20 years. She was editor of Financial Management, the magazine...