EUDR shipping requirements and dates

Key points

EUDR applies to specific commodities and products.
Your obligations depend on your role in the supply chain; a new DDS is not required from every sender.
Prepare origin information and check the application date for your business and goods.

Coffee, chocolate and wooden furniture can fall under EUDR, the EU rules aimed at tackling deforestation. If your business imports or exports these goods, check the requirements for their origin before shipping.

Which products should you check?

EUDR covers cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soya and wood, together with specified derived products. The customs code and product description in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 determine which goods fall within scope. A product name or the presence of wood or rubber alone does not establish whether the rules apply.

When do the requirements apply?

30 December 2026: large and medium operators.
30 June 2027: most micro and small operators.
30 December 2026: micro and small operators already covered by the EU Timber Regulation.

Newly added products, including soluble coffee, have a separate application date of 30 December 2027. Check the category relevant to your goods. See the European Commission's EUDR overview and application dates.

Does every sender need a DDS?

No. A due diligence statement, or DDS, records the required checks. Upstream operators generally carry out due diligence and submit a statement before placing relevant goods on the EU market or exporting them. Eligible micro and small primary operators can use a simplified declaration.

Businesses further down the supply chain have different obligations. They do not automatically need to submit a new DDS for goods already covered by upstream checks. The first downstream buyer must collect and retain the relevant statement number or declaration identifier. Read the Commission's explanation of supply-chain responsibilities.

What to do before booking a shipment

Check the product's customs classification against the current scope.
Identify who is responsible for the required checks and declaration.
Ask the supplier for the necessary production and origin information, including location data where required.
Confirm with the carrier or customs representative how the required reference details should be supplied.

Gather the required information before handing the parcel to the carrier, so you do not have to request it from the supplier while the shipment is already in transit.

EU product identifiers: what online sellers need for customs