What is an EUDR Due Diligence Statement?

A statement filed in the EU's TRACES system before a covered commodity is placed on or exported from the EU market, confirming due diligence was carried out and the risk of deforestation is negligible. It returns a DDS reference number quoted in the customs declaration.

What information goes in a DDS?

Under Article 9: the commodity and product with its HS code, quantity, country and plot geolocation of production, supplier and customer details, and evidence the goods are deforestation-free (after 31 December 2020) and legally produced.

Do downstream operators have to file their own DDS?

No. Only the first operator placing a product on the EU market files the full statement; downstream operators and traders can reference the existing DDS number and pass it along.

How long must EUDR records be kept?

Five years from the date the Due Diligence Statement was submitted.

EUDR · Due Diligence Statement

How to file an EUDR Due Diligence Statement (DDS)

The DDS is the filing that lets covered goods clear EU customs. Here is what goes in it, the steps to submit it in TRACES, and the reference number that customs actually checks.

The filing · TRACES

A Due Diligence Statement (DDS)is submitted in the EU's TRACES information system before a covered commodity is placed on, or exported from, the EU market. It confirms due diligence was done and the risk of deforestation is negligible, and it returns a DDS reference number that is quoted in the customs declaration. No reference number, no clearance.

What a DDS contains (Article 9)

Commodity & product (HS code)
Quantity
Country / plots of production
Plot geolocation
Supplier & customer details
Deforestation-free + legality evidence

What information do you need before filing?

The Article 9 set: the commodity and product (with its HS code), the quantity, the country of production and the geolocation of every plot, supplier and buyer details, and the evidence that the goods are deforestation-free (after the 31 December 2020 cut-off) and were produced legally in the origin country. Gather this once per sourcing line — the plots are the long-lead item.

How do you submit a DDS in TRACES?

Register for an EU Login and request access to TRACES with the operator (or trader) role. Enter the Article 9 data — manually in the UI for a few lines, or by API / JSON upload for volume — run the risk assessment, and submit. TRACES issues a DDS reference number (and a verification number). You then put that reference on the customs declaration when the goods move.

Can downstream operators reuse an existing DDS?

Yes. Under the simplified rules, only the first operator placing a product on the EU market needs to file the full statement. Downstream operators and traders can reference the existing DDS number and pass it along, rather than repeating the due diligence — a key relief for SMEs buying from compliant suppliers.

How long must you keep the records?

Five years from the date the DDS was submitted. Keep the collected information, the risk assessment, and any mitigation — competent authorities can ask for them, and penalties for gaps reach at least 4% of EU turnover. Not sure a product even needs a DDS? Run the coverage checker first.

Sources

Last reviewed 11 July 2026