How to submit an EUDR Due Diligence Statement (DDS)
The first operator submits a Due Diligence Statement (DDS) through the EU Information System, built on TRACES, before placing the product on the market or exporting it. [Reg. 2023/1115, Art. 4(2) & Art. 33] The statement carries plot geolocation (polygons for plots of 4 hectares or more), production dates and a signed declaration — and the system returns a DDS reference number. [Reg. 2023/1115, Art. 9 & Art. 2(28)]
No valid reference number, no customs clearance. Downstream operators and traders don't file — they reference the number the operator gives them.
Before you touch the system: gather the data
The Information System is the last step, not the first. A DDS requires specific information about the commodity's origin, and most of it has to come from your suppliers. [Reg. 2023/1115, Art. 9] You will need, per consignment:
- Geolocation of every plot where the commodity was produced — latitude/longitude coordinates, and polygons for plots of more than 4 hectares for commodities other than cattle. [Reg. 2023/1115, Art. 2(28)]
- Production or harvest dates (or a time range) for each plot.
- Country of production.
- Legality evidence — documents showing the commodity was produced in accordance with the relevant laws of the country of production (land use, environmental, labour and human rights, tax, trade and customs). [Reg. 2023/1115, Art. 9]
The submission flow, step by step
- Register in the EU Information System / TRACES. Operators (and non-SME downstream operators) need an account tied to their EU registration. [Reg. 2023/1115, Art. 33]
- Run the due diligence. Collect the information above, assess the risk of non-compliance, and where the risk is more than negligible, apply mitigation until it is. [Reg. 2023/1115, Art. 8, 9, 10 & 11]
- Enter the DDS in the system: the products, HS codes, quantities, country of production, the geolocation data, and the production dates.
- Sign the declaration that due diligence was carried out and that only negligible or no risk was found. [Reg. 2023/1115, Art. 4(2)]
- Receive the DDS reference number. The system issues a reference number (and identifier) for the statement.
- Pass the reference number down the chain. Customs and downstream businesses use it to confirm the goods are covered. [Reg. 2025/2650, Art. 5]
Simplified due diligence for low-risk origins
Where the commodity comes from a country benchmarked as low risk, a simplified due diligence applies: you still collect the information and confirm no red flags, but the full risk-assessment and mitigation steps are not required absent reason for concern. [Reg. 2023/1115, Art. 13] You still submit a DDS as the operator. Mixed or unclear origin removes this shortcut — the whole consignment reverts to full due diligence.
Keep the records — five years
Operators must keep the due diligence statements and supporting documentation for five years, and review the due diligence system at least annually. [Reg. 2023/1115, Art. 4(3) & Art. 12] The DDS is not a one-off form; it is a record you must be able to produce to a competent authority.
General information about Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, not legal advice — and not a deforestation assessment. This kind of screening determines your scope, role, deadline and documentary obligations; it does not verify that any plot of land is deforestation-free. Confirm your classification with counsel before relying on it for a market-access decision.
Find out where you actually stand
You don't need a traceability platform to start — you need to know your position and exactly what to ask your suppliers for. The EUDR position report screens your products against Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, names your role and deadline, tiers your origin countries, and hands you ready-to-send supplier data-request letters.
Check if my product is caught → get my EUDR position reportQuestions
How do I submit an EUDR Due Diligence Statement?
The first operator registers in the EU Information System (built on TRACES), runs due diligence, then enters the products, HS codes, country of production, plot geolocation and production dates, and signs the declaration. The system returns a DDS reference number. This must be done before the product is placed on the EU market or exported — Articles 4 and 33 of Regulation (EU) 2023/1115.
What information does a DDS need?
Per consignment: the country of production, geolocation of every plot (coordinates, and polygons for plots over 4 hectares for non-cattle commodities), production or harvest dates, and evidence that the commodity was produced legally. Most of this must be collected from suppliers, which is why it is the longest-lead-time task.
What is a DDS reference number?
It is the identifier the Information System issues when a Due Diligence Statement is submitted. Customs and downstream businesses use it to confirm the goods are covered by due diligence. Without a valid reference number, the goods cannot clear customs.
Do downstream operators submit their own DDS?
No. Since the December 2025 amendment, downstream operators and traders generally do not file their own statement — they collect and keep the reference number of the statement filed upstream. Non-SME downstream operators must also register and verify that upstream due diligence was carried out.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 (EU Deforestation Regulation) — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1115/oj — Art. 4 (submit DDS before placing; keep 5 years), Art. 8–11 (due diligence, information, risk assessment, mitigation), Art. 2(28) (geolocation, ≥4 ha polygons), Art. 12 (systems & record-keeping), Art. 13 (simplified due diligence), Art. 33 (Information System).
- Regulation (EU) 2025/2650 (amending 2023/1115; dates of application and downstream obligations) — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/2650/oj — Art. 5 (downstream reference-number handling).
- European Commission — EUDR implementation, guidance & FAQ — https://green-business.ec.europa.eu/deforestation-regulation-implementation_en — Information System / TRACES onboarding and DDS guidance.