Article
The Ins and Outs of the EUDR
By Caoilinn O’kelly
May 6, 2026
Key takeaways
The EUDR’s implementation has been delayed to 30 December 2026, giving businesses extra time to prepare for strict traceability and compliance requirements.
Compliance centres on a Due Diligence Statement that must verify commodity origin, legal compliance, and deforestation-free status for every product.
Operators and traders must collect, assess, and mitigate environmental and social risks tied to sourcing regions as part of EUDR due diligence.
Required documentation from legal permits to audit reports and social responsibility evidence must be uploaded to the EU’s Deforestation Registry for compliance.
The Ins and Outs of the EUDR
The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) requires exporters, and traders of specific commodities within the European Union to prioritise transparency and accountability. This regulation aims to prevent products linked to deforestation from being placed on, made available on, or exported from the EU market. Recently, the European Commission has extended the implementation timeline, granting businesses additional preparation time. This article outlines the key updates and compliance requirements for EUDR.
Recent updates of the EUDR
The EUDR builds on the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR)by expanding its scope to include commodities such as cocoa, soya and coffee among others. The regulation enforces stricter traceability standards for these goods to ensure they are not linked to deforestation.
Originally set to apply from 30 December 2024, the regulation was postponed by one year through an amendment adopted in December 2024. It now applies from 30 December 2026 for large and medium operators, and from 30 June 2027 for micro and small operators.
Steps to Compliance
Central to EUDR compliance is the ‘Due Diligence Statement’ which ensures that commodities are traceable and do not contribute to deforestation. Businesses must follow three critical steps:
Information Gathering: Collect detailed data on the origin of commodities, including sourcing practices and compliance with local laws.
Risk Assessment: Evaluate environmental and social risks associated with sourcing regions.
Risk Mitigation: Implement measures to address and reduce identified risks.
A due diligence statement must be submitted before products are placed on the market or exported and must be referenced for downstream transactions.
Due Diligence Statement Requirements
To meet due diligence obligations, operators must adhere to the sourcing country’s legal frameworks, as well as relevant regional and international agreements.
Acceptable documentation includes:
Administrative permits
Contracts with indigenous peoples
Impact assessments
Environmental audit reports
Company policies and codes of conduct
Reports on social responsibility and rights claims
These documents must be submitted via the Deforestation Registry, a digital platform established by the European Commission to streamline compliance. The registry, open since November 6, allows operators, traders, and representatives to upload and manage their data efficiently.
Risk Categories
Countries are assigned risk profiles, low, standard, or high based on environmental and social risks associated with commodity production in those regions. This classification reflects the environmental integrity of the sourcing area and the prevalence of social issues such as land rights disputes or worker exploitation:
Low-risk areas: Operators may need to only collect basic information about the commodities they are sourcing. These areas typically have strong governance, robust environmental laws, and minimal evidence of deforestation. Simplified due diligence requirements reduce administrative burdens for operators.
Standard and high-risk areas: Full due diligence is mandatory for these regions, which are often linked to deforestation, weak legal enforcement, or significant social challenges. Operators must conduct detailed assessments and implement risk mitigation strategies. Products from high-risk areas face increased scrutiny from authorities, including more frequent shipment checks, emphasising the need for comprehensive compliance.
What is the key to ensuring EUDR compliance?
Ensuring compliance with the EUDR requires organisations to have a strong traceability and monitoring system in place. This outlines several functional requirements for the monitoring system.
The monitoring system should provide real-time and customised risk data at national and regional levels for product origins.
This data should be consolidated from reputable databases to ensure information reliability and offer valuable insights for action and risk mitigation.
The system should enable simplified collaboration with upstream and downstream stakeholders to facilitate compliance requests.
Ensuring Compliance in Practice
Compliance with the EUDR requires organisations to integrate robust systems for traceability and risk assessment into their operations. Tools and platforms that enable efficient data collection, documentation, and monitoring are essential to managing the complexities of due diligence processes.
Operators must collect information as defined in the regulation, including geolocation coordinates, quantity, country of production, and evidence of compliance with applicable legislation in the country of production.
How can Simvia help?
Simvia can help with your EUDR compliance needs through its database connections, sustainability risk assessment platform and supply chain transparency.
At Simvia we have a direct connection to some of the most well-known databases in the food industry. With partners such as the FSSC and Planet Proof, Simvia can make document management simple.
If you have any further questions about what Simvia can do to help with your EUDR compliance, contact us here.
