Europe’s plan to tighten diamond import rules just hit the pause button.
The European Union has officially postponed its traceability mandate for polished diamond imports from March 1, 2025 to January 1, 2026, giving the global diamond trade a much-needed breather. 😮💨
📜 Originally part of the EU’s 16th Sanctions Package Against Russia, the rule would’ve required proof linking every polished diamond back to its rough origin—especially to prove it wasn’t Russian.
Now, the extra time gives traders and manufacturers space to catch up. The directive also strengthens requirements on mixed-origin rough diamonds, mandating Kimberley Process certificates that clearly list all countries of mining origin.
💬 The EU emphasized that success will depend on continued cooperation with G7 nations and third countries, and that the rules must be monitored to ensure a level playing field.
👥 The G7 includes:
🇺🇸 US, 🇬🇧 UK, 🇨🇦 Canada, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇯🇵 Japan, and the 🇪🇺 EU itself.
The Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) welcomed the delay, calling it a “critical window” to prepare the industry for a very complex new system.
Still, AWDC raised big concerns:
“There’s considerable uncertainty about how traceability will actually work, and who’s in charge of governing it,” said AWDC CEO Karen Rentmeesters.
🔍 The aim? To link G7-certified non-Russian rough diamonds to the polished stones made from them—boosting transparency and tightening sanctions loopholes.
But Rentmeesters pointed out a serious challenge:
“Russia is still exporting diamonds to non-G7 countries, and those goods are making their way back into the polished market.”
Without uniform enforcement across G7 nations, she warned, European players could end up at a disadvantage—especially compared to markets like the US, where demand is strongest.
TL;DR:
- ✅ EU delays polished diamond traceability mandate to Jan 2026
- 📄 New rules demand clearer origin certificates for mixed rough
- 🤝 G7 cooperation is critical
- ⚠️ Enforcement gaps could hurt EU-based traders
The diamond world just got more time—but the pressure is on.