Wood, rubber, coffee, cocoa, palm oil, soya, cattle: the European Union prohibits selling these products if they come from land deforested after 31 December 2020. This is the EUDR regulation (RDUE in French). It applies on 30 December 2026 to large and medium-sized companies, and on 30 June 2027 to micro and small companies. Here is what a French importer and a Chinese, Thai or Vietnamese supplier must prepare.
For information only, up to date on 31 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
The products concerned
| Raw material | Examples of products concerned |
|---|---|
| Wood | furniture, parquet, plywood, paper, cardboard, charcoal |
| Natural rubber (hevea) | tyres, gloves, hoses, rubber parts |
| Coffee | green, roasted, decaffeinated coffee |
| Cocoa | beans, paste, butter, chocolate |
| Palm oil | oil, some derivatives |
| Soya | beans, oilcake, flour |
| Cattle | live animals, meat |
Not concerned:
- bovine leather and hides: removed from the list by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/2102 of 13 July 2026, in force since 18 September 2026;
- synthetic rubber (only natural rubber from hevea is covered);
- products made entirely of recycled material (a product containing a share of new material remains concerned for that share);
- metals, textiles, ceramics, spices.
The exact list, with customs codes, is in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 as amended.
The dates
| Who | Date of application |
|---|---|
| Large and medium-sized companies | 30 December 2026 |
| Micro and small companies | 30 June 2027 |
| Micro and small companies already subject to the former timber regulation | 30 December 2026 |
These dates come from Regulation (EU) 2025/2650. The review published by the Commission on 4 May 2026 did not change the law. Be careful: even if you are a small company, a larger customer will ask you for the information from December 2026, because it will already be concerned.
What must be proven
- Zero deforestation: the product comes from land that has not been deforested after 31 December 2020.
- Legality: it was produced in compliance with the laws of the country of production (land rights, labour, environment).
- Geolocation: the coordinates of the plots of production. One GPS point is enough for a plot of 4 hectares or less; above that, the outline (polygon) is needed. For cattle: the location of the farms.
The importer (the "operator") submits a due diligence statement in the European Union's information system before placing the product on the market, and keeps the evidence for 5 years.
China, Thailand, Vietnam: "low risk" countries
The Commission classifies countries according to the risk of deforestation. China, Thailand and Vietnam are classified as low risk. In practice, the importer follows simplified due diligence, without a full risk assessment, but must still collect the information, including geolocation. Only four countries are classified as high risk: Belarus, North Korea, Myanmar and Russia.
For a small producer: a person, a micro or a small company of a low-risk country that sells what it produces itself may make a single simplified declaration, with an identifier to pass on to its buyer. A postal address may replace the GPS coordinates in some cases.
Concrete examples
Fictitious examples, to help understand.
- A furniture workshop in Vietnam selling wooden tables to a shop in France: its customer will ask where the wood comes from (plots, coordinates), the evidence of legal harvesting and the invoices for buying the wood.
- A small coffee cooperative in the highlands of Vietnam selling to a roaster in Lyon: one GPS point is needed for each plot of each grower. A phone app is often enough to record it on the spot.
- A rubber glove factory in Thailand: concerned if the gloves are made of natural latex, not if they are made of nitrile (synthetic rubber).
Checklist for the supplier in Asia
- Check whether your products are on the list (customs code).
- List your own suppliers of raw material.
- Record the GPS coordinates of each plot (point or outline depending on the area).
- Gather the evidence of legality: land titles or leases, operating permits.
- Link each lot sold to its plots (lot number → plots).
- Send this information to your European customer before shipment, and keep it for 5 years.
An FSC or PEFC certification helps, but is not enough on its own: the EUDR requires geolocation, which these certifications do not always provide.
The sheet to print
All the checkboxes of this guide on a single A4 page, to print or to send to your supplier. Free download, no e-mail required. The sheet is in French.
Download the EUDR checklist (PDF in French, 1 page, 43 KB)What the Passerelle does, and what it does not do
The Passerelle checks that a company exists in the official register of its country and publishes dated records. It does not certify that a product complies with the EUDR: that is the responsibility of the importer and the authorities. In fact, there is no such thing as an "EUDR certificate": be wary of anyone who sells you one.
To go further
Looking for a supplier of wood, coffee or rubber in Asia, verified in the official register of its country?
Publish a requestSources (consulted on 31 October 2026): Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 (articles 2, 3, 4, 9, 12, Annex I); Regulation (EU) 2025/2650 (postponement and article 4a); Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/2102 of 13 July 2026 (removal of leather); Commission report COM(2026) 191 of 4 May 2026 — EUR-Lex; European Commission, "Country classification list" (green-forum.ec.europa.eu). For information only: this information does not engage the liability of Passerelle France-Asie; only the European Commission and the national authorities are authoritative.