EUDR Geolocation (GPS/Polygon) Data Collection Standards and EU TRACES NT System Registration Requirements
ENFORCEMENT TIMELINE
Regulation entered into force on June 29, 2023 (phased application for large operators expected from December 30, 2026)
Overview
This card focuses on the geolocation data collection and verification requirements under Article 9 of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR: Regulation (EU) 2023/1115), and on the practice of registering that data with the EU Information System (TRACES NT).
EUDR legally requires the collection and traceability of precise geolocation data for every plot of land where the raw materials in a covered product were produced. For relatively small plots of four hectares or less, a single geographic coordinate point (to at least six decimal places) is permitted; for plots larger than four hectares, operators must collect polygon data precisely delineating the boundary of the plot. Operators must register and submit the geolocation data they collect, together with production date data, to the EUDR digital portal built on the European Commission's TRACES NT (Trade Control and Expert System New Technologies) platform.
Enforcement Timeline
June 29, 2023: EUDR is published, including the geolocation requirements such as the four-hectare threshold rule.
2024–2025: The European Commission operates a test phase for the EUDR-specific module within TRACES NT and publishes API specifications.
December 30, 2026: Submission of DDSs containing polygon coordinates and geolocation data via TRACES NT becomes mandatory for large operators.
June 30, 2027: Geolocation tracking and system registration requirements apply in full to small and micro operators (micro and small operators already covered by the EU Timber Regulation: December 30, 2026).
Business Impact
Companies handling global supply chains with large numbers of smallholders — such as cocoa, coffee, palm oil, and natural rubber — need to build data pipelines capable of precisely collecting and aggregating plot boundary polygon data from potentially hundreds of thousands of primary production sites. This requires a technical process of using satellite monitoring tools (such as data from the European Space Agency's Copernicus program) to overlay the collected polygon coordinates and analyze whether deforestation or forest degradation has occurred on that land since December 31, 2020.
Companies also need to build digital infrastructure that directly connects their core systems (ERP or SCM systems) to the EU's TRACES NT portal via API, enabling timely submission and verification of large volumes of geospatial data (in formats such as GeoJSON or KML) and production date data. Missing or imprecise coordinates, or submission of incorrect geolocation data, can trigger automatic rejection at customs or serious compliance violations, making thorough supplier training and data validation essential.