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Geolocation due 30 December 2026 for large and medium operators, 30 June 2027 for micro and small

The EUDR due diligence statement, and where it stalls

Before an in-scope commodity goes on the EU market, you file a due diligence statement. Most of it is process and paperwork. The part that reliably stalls submissions is the geolocation file. Here is how the two connect.

A due diligence statement (DDS) is your declaration that you have done the diligence EUDR requires: identified where the commodity was produced, assessed the risk that it is linked to deforestation, and mitigated that risk. The statement is filed through TRACES, and geolocation is attached to it.

What a DDS involves

  • Information collection: the commodity, quantities, suppliers, and the geolocation of every plot of production.
  • Risk assessment: judging the risk that the goods are non-compliant, using country risk and the plot data.
  • Risk mitigation: steps to reduce that risk to negligible before you proceed.
  • Submission: filing the statement in TRACES with the geolocation attached.

Why geolocation is the sticking point

The risk narrative you control. The geolocation depends on data from suppliers, often smallholders, in mixed formats, and it has to become a GeoJSON that passes strict validation. A single malformed plot can bounce the whole file, and TRACES will not tell you which one in plain terms.

The statement is only as submittable as its weakest plot. One unclosed ring stalls the lot.

Prepare the geolocation separately

Treat the plot file as its own task. Collect coordinates, build the GeoJSON, validate it, repair the errors, and confirm it is clean before you attach it. That way the DDS submission is a formality rather than a guessing game against a rejection.

Keep the change log

When a file is repaired, a per plot change log records what changed. That is useful evidence of how the geolocation was prepared, and it flags any plot whose area shifted during a repair so you can confirm it.

Common questions

Is geolocation part of the due diligence statement?

Yes. The geolocation of every plot of production is attached to the statement in TRACES. It is usually the part that stalls submission.

Can a tool file my DDS for me?

No, and this one does not. It prepares the geolocation GeoJSON so it passes validation. The statement itself and the diligence behind it are yours.

Prepare the geolocation for your statement

Validate and repair your plot GeoJSON so the geolocation is ready to attach to your due diligence statement.

Fix my file

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