No other EUDR topic causes as much head-scratching among SMEs as this one. Due diligence stands and falls with the data from the supply chain. The good news: with the right approach, almost any blockage can be resolved.
1. Plain talk: no data, no placing on the market
The hard rule: Without geographic coordinates of the plot of production you cannot submit a complete due diligence statement – and without it you may not place the product on the EU market. There is no shortcut here.
That sounds strict, but it is the lever that makes the whole system effective. Anyone who states this clearly to suppliers creates the necessary commitment – without threats, but unmistakably.
The distinction matters: it is not about distrusting a supplier. It is that without the data you are simply unable to act – you would not be allowed to sell the goods in the first place. This message lands best when it is framed as a shared problem: both sides have an interest in the consignment reaching the market legally.
2. Why suppliers hesitate
- Lack of awareness: Many smaller producers do not yet know the EUDR at all.
- Effort: The worry that geolocation data is complicated to collect.
- Data protection concerns: Uncertainty about what happens to plot data.
- Technology: No tools to generate point or polygon data.
In most cases it is therefore not ill will but a gap in information or tooling – and both can be closed. Anyone who knows the cause can respond in a targeted way: education helps where there is a lack of awareness, a simpler procedure where there is concern about effort, clear information about purpose and retention where there are data protection worries, and a capture tool where the technology is missing. Blanket pressure, by contrast, rarely achieves the goal.
3. Solution 1: support your suppliers
The fastest route is often to help the supplier rather than just to demand. Explain that a GPS point or polygon with six decimal places is enough and can be captured with simple means. Provide a short guide or a template. Often that alone is enough to resolve the blockage.
It also helps to point the supplier to the deadlines early on: for timber the 30 December 2026 applies regardless of company size. Anyone who knows this will plan data capture in good time instead of being caught out at the last moment. Offer concretely to capture one or two plots of production together as an example – the experience that "it's not that hard after all" is often more convincing than any leaflet.
4. Solution 2: supplier portal
With many suppliers a supplier portal is worthwhile: a central place where suppliers upload their geolocation data and records themselves. It saves email ping-pong, standardises the data formats and creates clean documentation – a must if you regularly buy from the same sources. This is exactly what Compliance Compass takes care of.
A portal lowers the threshold above all: instead of explaining data formats, you send a link. The supplier enters their plot, the system checks accuracy and completeness immediately and reports back any errors. This shifts the technical effort away from you and your supplier towards the software – and reduces queries to a minimum.
5. Solution 3: switch source
If a supplier persistently provides no data despite support, the only option left is to switch the source of supply. That is unpleasant, but consistent: you cannot place timber on the market whose origin you cannot prove. Certified or already EUDR-experienced suppliers – see also FSC, PEFC, FLEGT – are often the easier choice here.
Before you take this step, a sober assessment is worthwhile: how important is the supplier, how large is the volume, and are there alternatives that can deliver the same species and quality? In many sectors the market is tight – a hasty switch can be more expensive than the patience of persuading a hesitant supplier after all. In any case, document your efforts: in case of doubt this shows the authority that you took your due diligence seriously.
6. The right communication
- Inform early, not just shortly before the deadline
- Explain the reason: a legal obligation, not harassment
- Say concretely which data is needed in which format
- Offer help (guide, portal, point of contact)
- Set the requirements down in writing – ideally in the supply contract
To learn how to approach supplier onboarding systematically, read the guide EUDR for sawmills. The EUDR guide offers an overview of all obligations; the data requirements in detail are explained in Completing the due diligence statement correctly.