What the EUDR is — deadline, scope, penalties

Understand the EUDR (Reg. (EU) 2023/1115): the 30 Dec 2026 deadline, the seven Annex I commodities, plot geolocation (Art. 9), deforestation-free after 2020 (Art. 2) and fines up to 4% of EU turnover (Art. 25(2)). Brazil is standard-risk, no exemption.

Understand the EUDR — frequently asked

From when does the EUDR apply to Brazil?

The core obligations apply from 30 December 2026 for large and medium operators and traders, and from 30 June 2027 for natural persons and micro/small undertakings established as such by 31 December 2024 (Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, Art. 38, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2025/2650).

Does Brazil have an EUDR exemption?

No. Brazil is not classified as low-risk and is not on the high-risk list, so it falls into the standard-risk category by default (Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1093, 22 May 2025). Standard risk means full due diligence — there is no simplified exemption. In force as of July 2026; the Commission has committed to a first review of country classifications during 2026.

Which commodities does the EUDR cover?

Seven: cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soya and wood — plus derived products such as leather and soybean meal (Art. 1 + Annex I).

How does due diligence actually work?

Due diligence has three parts (Art. 8): information (Art. 9) — collect and keep the data proving each plot's origin; risk assessment (Art. 10) — products may only proceed where risk is no more than negligible; and risk mitigation (Art. 11) — reduce the risk before you submit the DDS.

Do soy and coffee need geolocation?

Yes. Every plot needs geolocation to at least 6 decimal places: a single point for plots up to 4 ha and a polygon for plots over 4 ha (other than cattle), per Art. 2(28). The file format (GeoJSON) and coordinate system follow the EU Information System technical specification.

How is the DDS submitted?

The Due Diligence Statement (DDS) is submitted through the EUDR's EU Information System — a tool on the EU's TRACES platform — before the cargo is placed on the EU market. The file must pass the system's GeoJSON geometry validation (EUDR GeoJSON rules, v1.5).

What does 'deforestation-free' mean?

The EUDR requires products to be deforestation-free: produced on land not subject to deforestation after 31 December 2020 (Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, Art. 2, definition of 'deforestation-free'). Any post-2020 vegetation loss on a plot makes the product non-compliant.