The EU Deforestation Regulation sets conditions for businesses that place or make available relevant products on, or export them from, the EU market. Which obligations apply depends on the business’s role, size and position in the supply chain. Here is what it covers, the deadlines, and the due diligence it asks of you, with expert EUDR support behind it whenever you need it.
WHAT IS THE EUDR
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is an EU law that stops products linked to deforestation from being placed on, or exported from, the EU market. It affects businesses trading specific agricultural commodities and the products made from them: to move those goods, you have to prove they are deforestation-free and legally produced, backed by a due diligence statement. Whether the EUDR applies depends primarily on the product and its commodity code in Annex I, while the specific obligations depend on the business’s role and size. The Regulation sits alongside normal customs requirements rather than replacing them.
WHO IS AFFECTED
The EUDR applies to operators and traders who place relevant commodities, or products made from them, on the EU market or export them, with the codes in scope listed in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2023/1115. An operator is any business that does this in the course of trade, including by importing. Relevant products may be placed or made available on, or exported from, the EU market only if they are deforestation-free, produced in accordance with the relevant legislation of the country of production and covered by the required due diligence documentation. The operator first placing the product on the EU market or exporting it normally performs the due diligence and submits the due diligence statement; downstream operators and traders have lighter traceability and verification obligations. Whether a product is in scope depends on its commodity code and description in Annex I. The country of production does not determine scope, but its low-, standard- or high-risk classification can affect the due diligence procedure and the level of official checks.
TIMELINE
DUE DILIGENCE
EUDR compliance is built on a documented due diligence process. Where full due diligence is required, you must show that your goods are deforestation-free and legally produced by working through four steps:
Gather the required data and documents, including the geolocation of all relevant plots of land or cattle establishments. The information must support the conclusions that the commodities were produced in accordance with relevant local laws and on land that was not deforested after 31 December 2020; relevant wood products must also meet the forest-degradation requirement.
Assess whether there is no risk or only a negligible risk of non-compliance, taking account of matters including the country risk classification, supply-chain complexity, the reliability of the information and the risk of mixing or circumvention.
Where the risk is more than negligible, reduce it through further research, supplier surveys, testing or independent audits.
Where required by your role, submit the due diligence statement before placing the relevant products on the EU market or exporting them. Micro and small primary operators may instead submit a one-time simplified declaration. Keep the information and records required for your role for five years.
THE STAKES
The EU has been clear that not knowing the rules will not be accepted as an excuse. Non-compliance can mean:
For legal persons, national rules must provide for a maximum fine of at least 4% of the business’s total annual EU-wide turnover in the financial year preceding the fining decision. The available maximum may therefore exceed 4%.
And the supply chain disruption that follows.
For serious or repeated infringements, a temporary prohibition on placing, making available or exporting relevant commodities and products.
Temporary exclusion, for up to 12 months, from public procurement processes and access to public funding, including grants, concessions and tendering procedures.
The UK government is developing a separate due diligence regime for Great Britain. It aims to introduce legislation in 2027 covering businesses with annual turnover above £1 million that use wood, cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy or specified derived products, although the operational start date has not yet been confirmed. The proposed Great Britain regime is intended to align broadly with the EUDR’s scope and information requirements. The EUDR itself will apply in Northern Ireland, so businesses moving relevant products to or through Northern Ireland must prepare for the EU requirements.
HOW WE HELP
We start with a short call to understand your trade and align our support with what you need.
We confirm your goods are classified correctly and tell you which of them are caught by the EUDR.
You get a clear report showing which of your shipments are affected, so you know your exposure.
We help you set up your EUDR procedures and guide you through gathering the information your due diligence statement needs.
We help you complete and submit the statement, with the data checked for accuracy and compliance.
WHY GASTON SCHUL
We translate the EUDR's requirements, the commodities in scope, the information you must hold and what is coming next, into clear, actionable steps.
Accurate classification and a well-evidenced compliance process help keep your position defensible, so a gap does not become a serious turnover-based penalty.
You work with a dedicated customs and trade advisor who knows your business, not a different person each time.
RESOURCES
LATEST EUDR INSIGHTS
GET IN TOUCH
Tell us what you import or export and the commodities involved, and an EUDR specialist will tell you whether your goods are in scope, what your due diligence statement has to show, and how to get ready in time. No obligation, just a clear answer from people who know customs.
EUDR FAQs
The EU Deforestation Regulation prohibits relevant products from being placed or made available on, or exported from, the EU market unless they are deforestation-free, produced in accordance with the relevant legislation of the country of production and covered by the required due diligence documentation.
The EUDR covers cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soy and wood, but only the commodities and derived products whose commodity codes and descriptions appear in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2023/1115. Not every product derived from one of the seven commodities is automatically covered, so the commodity code and Annex I description must both be checked. Country of production does not determine scope, although its risk classification can affect the due diligence procedure.
Product-scope update as at 20 August 2026: the Commission has adopted a Delegated Act that would remove certain products, including cattle hides and leather, retreaded tyres and specified rubber products, and add soluble coffee, certain palm oil derivatives and frozen cattle tongues. The Act remains subject to scrutiny by the European Parliament and the Council before entering into force; newly added products are intended to become subject to the EUDR from 30 December 2027.
The Regulation entered into force on 29 June 2023. It applies from 30 December 2026 to large and medium operators and traders and to micro and small operators dealing in relevant wood products already covered by the EU Timber Regulation. It applies from 30 June 2027 to other micro and small operators.
A due diligence statement records the operator’s conclusion that it has exercised due diligence and found no risk or only a negligible risk that the relevant products are non-compliant. The statement does not itself prove compliance: the underlying supply-chain information, geolocation data, legality evidence, risk assessment and any risk-mitigation measures provide the supporting substantiation. Micro and small primary operators may use a one-time simplified declaration instead.
The records required depend on your role in the supply chain. An upstream operator must generally hold information identifying the products and suppliers, the country of production, quantities, production dates or periods, geolocation data, evidence of legal production and the records supporting its risk assessment and any mitigation. Downstream businesses must hold the reference and traceability information required for their role. Applicable records must generally be retained for five years.
Penalties are set by Member States and must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive. For legal persons, national rules must provide for a maximum fine of at least 4% of total annual EU-wide turnover in the preceding financial year. Other possible penalties include confiscation of relevant products or revenues, temporary exclusion from public procurement and public funding, and temporary trading prohibitions for serious or repeated infringements.
Yes. We confirm which of your goods are in scope, build the due diligence process, help you gather the information the statement needs, and support you in completing and submitting it, so the EUDR becomes a managed process rather than a last-minute scramble.
