EUDR explained for coffee producers and buyers

From 30 December 2026, coffee placed on the EU market or exported from it must be deforestation-free, legally produced and covered by a due diligence statement under the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Producers outside the EU are not regulated directly, but their buyers will ask for data. Here is what the rules say and what each side should prepare.

Updated October 3, 2026 · 6 sources

What the EUDR is

Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 covers seven commodities: cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soya and wood, and products made from them. For coffee, Annex I lists HS heading 0901: coffee, whether or not roasted or decaffeinated, coffee husks and skins, and coffee substitutes containing coffee. A Commission delegated regulation adopted in 2026, Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/2102, adds soluble coffee from 30 December 2027.

A coffee product may only be placed on the EU market, made available there or exported from the EU if it is:

Deforestation-free: grown on land that has not been deforested or degraded after 31 December 2020.
Produced in line with the relevant laws of the country of production.
Covered by a due diligence statement (or, for some small producers, a simplified declaration) in the EU Information System.

When it applies

The start date has been moved twice, by Regulation (EU) 2024/3234 and Regulation (EU) 2025/2650. According to the European Commission, the rules now apply:

From	Who
30 December 2026	Large and medium operators; all downstream operators and traders; micro and small operators already covered by the EU Timber Regulation
30 June 2027	Most micro and small operators
30 December 2027	Products newly added to the scope in 2026, including soluble coffee

Geolocation: the core data

Due diligence needs the geolocation of every plot of land where the coffee was grown. The Commission's FAQ says plots larger than 4 hectares need a polygon (the coordinates of the plot's perimeter), while plots of 4 hectares or less can be given as a single point or a polygon, with latitude and longitude to at least six decimal places. Several plots mean several points or polygons.

Who does what

Role	Main obligation
Upstream operator (usually the importer that first places the coffee on the EU market)	Carries out due diligence, submits a due diligence statement before import and passes the reference number to its first buyer.
Micro or small primary operator in a low-risk country, selling its own coffee directly into the EU	Can submit a one-off simplified declaration, updated only when key information changes; it may give a postal address instead of geolocation.
First downstream operator or trader	Collects and keeps the due diligence statement reference number or declaration identifier for five years.
Other downstream operators and traders	No due diligence statement; keep supplier and buyer information for five years.

The Commission is clear that the Regulation applies to a smallholder only if the smallholder places coffee on the EU market itself. Selling to a cooperative or exporter in your own country, or to an EU importer, is not placing on the EU market. But buyers can still ask you for the geolocation of your plots, because they need it for their own due diligence.

Country risk levels

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1093 classifies countries as low, standard or high risk. Four countries are high risk (Belarus, North Korea, Myanmar and Russia); the others are listed as low risk or are standard risk by default. Coffee from a low-risk country qualifies for simplified due diligence under Article 13 of the Regulation, and micro and small primary operators there can use the simplified declaration described above. Check the current list for each origin you buy from.

What producers and exporters should prepare

Plot coordinates for every farm that supplies the lot: a GPS point for plots of 4 ha or less, a polygon for larger plots.
Evidence of legal production: land use rights, permits and other laws that apply in your country.
Records that keep EUDR-ready coffee separate from coffee without data, from the farm through the mill to the bag.
A contact who can answer buyers' questions quickly, in their language.

What buyers should ask for

Geolocation for each lot, in a format your due diligence system accepts.
A statement and evidence that the land was not deforested after 31 December 2020.
The supplier's due diligence statement reference number or simplified declaration identifier, if they placed the coffee on the EU market.
Contract clauses on what happens if the data is missing or wrong.

EUDR data on Coffee Parchment

Sellers can mark a lot as having plot geolocation available, and buyers can filter for it on the lots page. We do not publish farm coordinates: they are shared between buyer and seller once a deal is agreed. See also our trade compliance checklist and the origin pages, for example Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, Vietnam and Uganda.

Frequently asked questions

When does the EUDR start for coffee?

On 30 December 2026 for large and medium operators and for all downstream operators and traders, and on 30 June 2027 for most micro and small operators. Soluble coffee comes into scope on 30 December 2027.

Does the EUDR apply to small coffee farms outside the EU?

Only if they place coffee on the EU market themselves. A farmer who sells to a local cooperative or exporter is not regulated directly, but buyers may ask for the geolocation of the farm's plots.

Do I need a polygon or a single GPS point?

Plots larger than 4 hectares need a polygon. Plots of 4 hectares or less can be given as one point or a polygon, with coordinates to at least six decimal places.

What is the deforestation cut-off date?

31 December 2020. Coffee from land deforested or degraded after that date cannot be placed on the EU market.

Sources

Checked on October 3, 2026. Laws, rules and prices change: always check the official source before you trade. This guide is general information, not legal advice.