Feuding groups have postponed votes on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's picks to lead the EU's executive branch.

The European Parliament voted on Thursday for a 12-month delay to the implementation of a law banning the import of commodities linked to deforestation, and adopted a series of amendments to weaken the law itself.

The European Parliament demanded further changes to a landmark law to tackle global deforestation, adding complications to a plan to delay the controversial rules before they take effect later this year.