EUDR Delayed But Not Dead

EUDR has been the talk of the coffee world for over a year now. Producer, exporters, importers and roasters alike, we’ve all been asking, what does it mean, does it affect our businesses and what action do we need to take?

Whilst the legislation is not yet being brought into UK law for coffee, any UK business that trades with the EU needs to be prepared. For any roasters based in the UK, that means if you export any of your coffee into the EU after the deadline, you as an operator must be able to prove evidence that it has not contributed to deforestation.

Who is the operator? In this scenario, the business clearing the coffee through EU customs is the operator. This could be you, as a roaster exporting coffee into the EU, or you could nominate the company you are selling it to, who are importing the coffee into the EU. As the importer, they can be the operator and manage the clearing of customs.  

With so much information (and misinformation) out there we thought it would be helpful to lay out a short guide to what we do know, and what you can do to prepare.  

EUDR is now on the horizon.

What is EUDR?

EUDR is legislation that has been designed to prevent deforestation and forest degradation linked to products entering the EU market, including coffee. It requires businesses to show that their products have not contributed to deforestation, whether directly or indirectly. 

For coffee importers and roasters, this means you’ll need to provide detailed location data for the coffee’s origin, including geolocation of the farms or production areas. This applies to both green and roasted coffee being placed on the EU market. 

What can you do to prepare?

As a roaster in the UK there are a few things you can do to be prepared:

1. Register on the EU Information Portal 
   UK coffee businesses exporting to the EU can now register on the newly launched EU information portal. This platform is key for sending required data and ensuring your supply chain information aligns with EUDR requirements.
2. Access Online Training 
   To help businesses navigate these new requirements, the EU has made online training resources available. This is a valuable opportunity for you and your team to understand the legislation and how to adapt your processes for compliance.

What are the timelines you should be working towards?

The deadline for coffee to clear customs in the EU is the end of this year (2025). Before this date you do not need to provide geolocations, but any arrivals for 2026 you will need to provide this information.  

Smaller businesses (SMEs) have been given more time to comply with the EUDR, if this is you, the deadline is extended to 30th June 2026. However, even if you are a small business yourself, if you supply roasted coffee to larger companies who may export the coffee to the EU, it’s crucial to note that they will require your location data sooner to meet their own obligations. We recommend being proactive and gathering the required geolocation information now to avoid potential disruptions later. 

Key Takeaways for UK Coffee Roasters

• Register today on the EU information portal to begin streamlining compliance.
• Take advantage of online training resources to understand and implement EUDR requirements.
• Collect detailed location data for all coffee placed on the EU market, especially if working with large companies.
• Be aware of the extended compliance period for smaller firms, but prepare in advance to stay competitive.
• Keep an eye on legislative updates from the EU Parliament.

Links to relevant resources:

• Virtual training on EUDR Information System: https://green-business.ec.europa.eu/deforestation-regulation-implementation/information-system-deforestation-regulation_en#training-and-user-manuals 

• EUDR ACCEPTANCE (Replica Training Platform): https://acceptance.eudr.webcloud.ec.europa.eu/tracesnt/login

If you have any questions, reach out to our team or visit the official EU information portal for the latest guidance and updates.