The EUDR requires you to locate the plot of production geographically for every relevant consignment. This makes it possible to check later by satellite whether any clearance took place on that plot after 31 December 2020. That is precisely why the position and accuracy of the coordinates matter so much.
1. Why geolocation data?
Without geographic coordinates there is no due diligence – and without fulfilled due diligence there is no placing on the market. The coordinates are the anchor on which the whole system hangs: they turn a consignment into a verifiable statement about a specific plot. If they are missing or too imprecise, the risk cannot be assessed.
It is important to understand what "plot of production" means: it refers to the specific parcel or piece of land on which the timber grew – not the location of the supplier or the sawmill. It is exactly this plot that is later compared by satellite against the cut-off date of 31 December 2020. A coordinate that only roughly hits the region is not enough.
2. When a point is enough
A single GPS point – a coordinate pair of longitude and latitude – is sufficient for smaller plots of production. It essentially describes a centre point of the plot. This is practical for small forest parcels or individual felling sites, where the effort of a full polygon is not justified.
Rule of thumb: If the plot is four hectares or below, a point is usually enough. Above that, a polygon becomes necessary.
3. When a polygon is mandatory
A polygon is a closed series of points tracing the outline of the plot. It is required for plots over four hectares. The reason: for large plots a single point would be too imprecise to reliably check whether deforestation occurred anywhere within the area. The polygon encloses the entire area and makes the satellite check meaningful.
In practice this means: you walk the corner points of the plot or trace them on a map so that a closed shape results. The more closely the outline follows the actual plot, the more robust the later check. A roughly drawn rectangle around an irregular parcel can include neighbouring areas that are not part of the consignment at all – and thereby trigger unnecessary queries.
4. Accuracy: six decimal places
Regardless of whether it is a point or a polygon: the coordinates must have at least six decimal places. That corresponds to an accuracy of around one metre. Values with only three or four decimal places are one of the most common causes of queries.
| Plot up to ~4 ha | Point (longitude/latitude) |
|---|---|
| Plot over 4 ha | Polygon |
| Accuracy | at least 6 decimal places |
5. Formats
Coordinates are given in decimal degrees (e.g. 52.516275, 13.377704), not in degrees-minutes-seconds. For capturing and sharing data, structured geodata formats such as GeoJSON have become established; many systems also accept CSV tables with longitude and latitude. What matters is a consistent order and a uniform reference system.
Make sure that everyone in the supply chain uses the same format. If the format changes several times – say from a handwritten note via an Excel table to a GeoJSON file – transcription errors easily creep in. A uniform input format across all suppliers is therefore worth more than the prettiest single file.
6. How to capture geolocation data
In practice there are several ways to obtain clean coordinates:
- GPS device or smartphone: Record the coordinates of the plot on site – a single location is enough for a point, while the corner points are walked for a polygon.
- Map services: Known plots can be drawn on screen and exported as a point or polygon.
- Existing parcel data: Forest owners often already have parcel boundaries that can be converted into the right format.
- Supplier portal: Suppliers upload their geolocation data themselves, and the system checks the format and accuracy automatically.
If a supplier cannot or will not provide any geolocation data at all, the article What to do when a supplier won't cooperate can help.
7. Common mistakes
- Too few decimal places: Fewer than six places lead to imprecision and queries.
- Point instead of polygon: Not permitted for plots over four hectares.
- Swapped order: Longitude and latitude mixed up – the plot ends up in the sea.
- Wrong format: Degrees-minutes-seconds instead of decimal degrees.
- Incomplete polygons: Open, unclosed series of lines.
The geolocation data feeds directly into the due diligence statement, which you submit via TRACES NT. To learn how to organise data capture among your suppliers, see for example the guide EUDR for sawmills or the EUDR guide.