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Forecasting the Impact of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) on Asia-Pacific Forest Product Trade

Received: 20 October 2025     Accepted: 2 November 2025     Published: 9 December 2025
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Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive, quantitative forecast of the dynamic impact of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) on forest product exports from nine major Asia-Pacific economies to the EU market. To address the complexity of this policy shock, we develop a novel two-stage forecasting framework that integrates LASSO regression for high-dimensional variable selection with OLS modeling. This approach generates dynamic monthly projections from October 2025 to December 2027, simulating the policy’s effect by combining a historical proxy from the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) with a calibrated “intensity multiplier” based on the EUDR country-risk classification. Our projections reveal a distinct multi-phase adjustment process across the region: an immediate, sharp contraction in Q4 2025, followed by a period of significant volatility and supply chain disruption throughout 2026, and an uneven recovery in 2027. The findings underscore substantial heterogeneity in impacts driven by the EUDR risk-based framework. Standard-risk countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, are projected to face severe volatility and suppressed growth trajectories, with Malaysia’s exports showing particular vulnerability. In contrast, some smaller, low-risk nations like the Philippines may capitalize on a substitution effect, gaining market share as larger suppliers struggle with compliance. The study concludes that the EUDR acts as a powerful disruptive force, reshaping competitive dynamics and necessitating urgent policy responses, including enhanced traceability infrastructure and strategic market diversification, for Asia-Pacific exporters.

Published in American Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics (Volume 10, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajere.20251004.14
Page(s) 149-160
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), Forest Product Trade, Asia-Pacific, Time-series Forecasting, LASSO

References
[1] Yin, Z. H., Li, J. Q., Tian, H., et al. (2011). Impacts of EU Timber Regulation on international trade of forest products and China's countermeasures. Research of Agricultural Modernization, 32(5), 537-541.
[2] Hou, X. Y.; Yin, Z. H.; Qiu, L. Y.; et al. Study on the challenges of EU Timber Regulation to China's wood forest products trade and countermeasures. Forestry Economics 2013, 37, 54-57.
[3] Hou, F. M.; Zhuang, J. Q. Impact analysis of EU Timber Regulation on China's wooden furniture exports to the EU. Journal of Xi’an University of Finance and Economics 2015, 28, 99-105.
[4] Brack, D. (2017). The European Union’s Timber Regulation: Is it working? Chatham House URL:
[5] Mao, X. Y.; Chen, Y.; Jiang, H. F. EU's Regulation on deforestation-free products and its impacts and countermeasures. World Forestry Research 2022, 35, 93-98.
[6] Simonnet, A. The impact of the European Deforestation-Free Regulation on trade relations with Southeast Asia. Regulation (EU) 2023, 1115.
[7] Permatasari, A. P.; Fauziyah, D.; Naufal, F.; Afian, S.; Nisa, S.; Fetra, T.; Hadad, N. Strengthening Indonesia’s readiness to navigate the European Union Deforestation-Free regulation through improved governance and inclusive partnership. 2024. URL:
[8] Jopke, P., & Schoneveld, G. C. (2022). The European Union Deforestation Regulation: A primer for policymakers in producer countries. CIFOR. URL:
[9] Roldan Muradian, Raras Cahyafitri, Tomaso Ferrando, Carolina Grottera, Luiz Jardim-Wanderley, Torsten Krause, Nanang I. Kurniawan, Lasse Loft, Tadzkia Nurshafira, Debie Prabawati-Suwito, Diaz Prasongko, Paula A. Sanchez-Garcia, Barbara Schröter, Diana Vela-Almeida. Will the EU deforestation-free products regulation (EUDR) reduce tropical forest loss? Insights from three producer countries. Ecological Economics. 225(227): 108389.
[10] Anderson, J. E. A theoretical foundation for the gravity equation. Am. Econ. Rev. 1979, 69, 106-116.
[11] Larson, J.; Baker, J.; Latta, G.; Ohrel, S.; Wade, C. Modeling International Trade of Forest Products: Application of PPML to a Gravity Model of Trade. Forest Products Journal 2018, 68, 303-316.
[12] Nasrullah, M.; Chang, L.; Khan, K.; Rizwanullah, M.; Zulfiqar, F.; Ishfaq, M. Determinants of forest product group trade by gravity model approach: A case study of China. Forest Policy and Economics 2020, 113, 102117.
[13] Xu, Y. S.; Hou, F. M.; Shi, Z. H.; et al. Impact of EU Deforestation-free Regulation on China's forest products trade: An analysis based on GTAP model. World Forestry Research 2025, 38, 94-101.
[14] Hu, Y. H.; Meng, Q.; Xia, J.; Chen, N. Impact of EU Deforestation-free Regulation on China's forest products trade. Working paper 2025.
[15] Wang, F. T.; Liu, S. T.; Cheng, B. D.; Jiang, Q. E.; Tian, Y.; Xiong, L. C. How Can Intra Industry Trade of Forest Products be Promoted? An Empirical Analysis from China. Forests 2019, 10, 882.
[16] Tibshirani, R. Regression shrinkage and selection via the LASSO. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series B (Methodological) 1996, 58, 267-288.
[17] Medeiros, M. C.; Vasconcelos, G. F.; Veiga, Á.; Zilberman, E. Forecasting inflation in a data-rich environment: the benefits of machine learning methods. Journal of Business & Economic Statistics 2021, 39, 98-119. 23.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Hu, Y., Meng, Q., Chen, N., Yuan, M., Xia, J. (2025). Forecasting the Impact of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) on Asia-Pacific Forest Product Trade. American Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics, 10(4), 149-160. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajere.20251004.14

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    ACS Style

    Hu, Y.; Meng, Q.; Chen, N.; Yuan, M.; Xia, J. Forecasting the Impact of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) on Asia-Pacific Forest Product Trade. Am. J. Environ. Resour. Econ. 2025, 10(4), 149-160. doi: 10.11648/j.ajere.20251004.14

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    AMA Style

    Hu Y, Meng Q, Chen N, Yuan M, Xia J. Forecasting the Impact of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) on Asia-Pacific Forest Product Trade. Am J Environ Resour Econ. 2025;10(4):149-160. doi: 10.11648/j.ajere.20251004.14

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajere.20251004.14,
      author = {Yuanhui Hu and Qian Meng and Neng Chen and Mei Yuan and Jie Xia},
      title = {Forecasting the Impact of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) on Asia-Pacific Forest Product Trade},
      journal = {American Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics},
      volume = {10},
      number = {4},
      pages = {149-160},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajere.20251004.14},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajere.20251004.14},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajere.20251004.14},
      abstract = {This study provides a comprehensive, quantitative forecast of the dynamic impact of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) on forest product exports from nine major Asia-Pacific economies to the EU market. To address the complexity of this policy shock, we develop a novel two-stage forecasting framework that integrates LASSO regression for high-dimensional variable selection with OLS modeling. This approach generates dynamic monthly projections from October 2025 to December 2027, simulating the policy’s effect by combining a historical proxy from the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) with a calibrated “intensity multiplier” based on the EUDR country-risk classification. Our projections reveal a distinct multi-phase adjustment process across the region: an immediate, sharp contraction in Q4 2025, followed by a period of significant volatility and supply chain disruption throughout 2026, and an uneven recovery in 2027. The findings underscore substantial heterogeneity in impacts driven by the EUDR risk-based framework. Standard-risk countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, are projected to face severe volatility and suppressed growth trajectories, with Malaysia’s exports showing particular vulnerability. In contrast, some smaller, low-risk nations like the Philippines may capitalize on a substitution effect, gaining market share as larger suppliers struggle with compliance. The study concludes that the EUDR acts as a powerful disruptive force, reshaping competitive dynamics and necessitating urgent policy responses, including enhanced traceability infrastructure and strategic market diversification, for Asia-Pacific exporters.},
     year = {2025}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Forecasting the Impact of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) on Asia-Pacific Forest Product Trade
    AU  - Yuanhui Hu
    AU  - Qian Meng
    AU  - Neng Chen
    AU  - Mei Yuan
    AU  - Jie Xia
    Y1  - 2025/12/09
    PY  - 2025
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajere.20251004.14
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajere.20251004.14
    T2  - American Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics
    JF  - American Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics
    JO  - American Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics
    SP  - 149
    EP  - 160
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2578-787X
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajere.20251004.14
    AB  - This study provides a comprehensive, quantitative forecast of the dynamic impact of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) on forest product exports from nine major Asia-Pacific economies to the EU market. To address the complexity of this policy shock, we develop a novel two-stage forecasting framework that integrates LASSO regression for high-dimensional variable selection with OLS modeling. This approach generates dynamic monthly projections from October 2025 to December 2027, simulating the policy’s effect by combining a historical proxy from the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) with a calibrated “intensity multiplier” based on the EUDR country-risk classification. Our projections reveal a distinct multi-phase adjustment process across the region: an immediate, sharp contraction in Q4 2025, followed by a period of significant volatility and supply chain disruption throughout 2026, and an uneven recovery in 2027. The findings underscore substantial heterogeneity in impacts driven by the EUDR risk-based framework. Standard-risk countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, are projected to face severe volatility and suppressed growth trajectories, with Malaysia’s exports showing particular vulnerability. In contrast, some smaller, low-risk nations like the Philippines may capitalize on a substitution effect, gaining market share as larger suppliers struggle with compliance. The study concludes that the EUDR acts as a powerful disruptive force, reshaping competitive dynamics and necessitating urgent policy responses, including enhanced traceability infrastructure and strategic market diversification, for Asia-Pacific exporters.
    VL  - 10
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • The Coordination Center for the Forest Networks in the Asia-Pacific, National Forestry and Grassland Administration of China, Beijing, China

  • Research Institute of Forestry Policy and Information, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China

  • Global Green Supply Chain of Forest Products (Macao) Federation, Macao, China

  • The Coordination Center for the Forest Networks in the Asia-Pacific, National Forestry and Grassland Administration of China, Beijing, China

  • School of Economics, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China

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