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EUDR Software: What Compliance Platforms Do and How to Choose One

EUDR software under Regulation (EU) 2023/1115: what compliance platforms do, the free EUDR Information System and its API, costs, and how to choose a tool.

Last updated 5 November 2026 · By the EUDR Guide Editorial Team · How we fact-check · Print this page

Summary

EUDR software is any tool that helps an operator collect, check, file and keep the information Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 requires; the law requires none of it.

The only mandatory IT system is the EUDR Information System, whose costs the Commission bears (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/3084, Article 18(1)).

The EU Deforestation Regulation (OJ L 150, 9.6.2023, p. 206), amended by Regulations (EU) 2024/3234 and 2025/2650 and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/2102, applies from 30 December 2026 (Article 38(2)). Operators that are natural persons or micro or small undertakings established as such by 31 December 2024 apply it from 30 June 2027; products in the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 from 30 December 2026 (Article 38(3)).

Table 1 groups the tools on the market into nine functions.

Table 1. The nine functions of EUDR software

# Function What it does Provisions Related guide
1 Supplier data and traceability Collects Article 9(1) data, links lots to plots, passes on reference numbers Art. 4(7), 5(3), 9(1) EUDR traceability
2 Geolocation capture Records points and polygons, also offline Art. 2(28), 9(1)(d) EUDR geolocation
3 GeoJSON validation Checks files against the system's file rules Art. 2(28); IR 2024/3084 EUDR GeoJSON Checker
4 Satellite analysis Compares plots with 2020 forest maps and later imagery Art. 2(13), 10(2) deforestation-free under the EUDR
5 Risk assessment Documents the 14 criteria and the yearly review Art. 10, 13 EUDR risk assessment and risk mitigation
6 Legality documents Stores evidence for the 8 headings of relevant legislation Art. 2(40), 9(1)(h) EUDR legality requirement
7 Statement filing Submits, amends, withdraws and groups statements and declarations Art. 4(2), 4a, 6, 33 EUDR due diligence statement
8 ERP and customs Carries CN codes and reference numbers on purchase, sales and customs flows Art. 26(4); Annex II, point 2 EUDR at customs
9 Record keeping Keeps statements and documentation for 5 years Art. 4(3), 5(4), 12(5) EUDR due diligence

This guide's grouping; the EUDR requires none of these tools.

What Counts as EUDR Software?

EUDR software is a market category, not a legal term: the regulation names no software, and Article 33(2) only lets the Information System convert data from relevant systems and support communication. Point (d) provides, "where possible, the conversion of data from relevant systems to identify the geolocation"; point (i) covers communication with operators, downstream operators and traders.

Does the EUDR Require Software?

No: the only IT the EUDR makes mandatory is the EUDR Information System, whose costs the Commission bears (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/3084, Article 18(1)). Operators submit due diligence statements there before placing or export (Article 4(2)); micro or small primary operators file their simplified declaration there (Article 4a).

Downstream operators and traders have filed no statement since 26 December 2025 (Article 5, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2025/2650). Keeping their supplier and customer information "does not entail any requirement to store that information in a specific system or database" (FAQ Version 5 (April 2026), 3.4).

Neither the EUDR nor Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/3084 contains an approval mechanism, and as of 24 October 2026 no EU or national authority accredits EUDR software or consultants.

Who Stays Responsible When Software or a Representative Files?

The operator: by making the due diligence statement available it assumes responsibility for compliance with Article 3 (Article 4(3)), and a mandated representative does not change that (Article 6(1)). The Commission's non-binding guidance takes the same view (FAQ 1.10; Guidance C/2026/3896, section 6).

An authorised representative is established in the Union and holds a written mandate (Article 2(22)). An operator that is a natural person or a microenterprise may mandate the next downstream operator or trader, which then submits on its behalf before supply (Article 6(3), as replaced by Regulation (EU) 2025/2650). The mandate rules are set out for authorised representatives under the EUDR.

Which Functions Do EUDR Software Platforms Cover?

This guide groups EUDR software into nine functions, each tied to an article: supplier data, geolocation capture, GeoJSON validation, satellite analysis, risk assessment, legality documents, statement filing, ERP and customs links, and record keeping.

Supplier-data platforms collect the Article 9(1) information, points (a) to (h), with evidence, and keep the link from each lot to its plots. The operator keeps that information for five years from placing or export (Article 9(1)).

Mixed lots are the hard case: the Commission considers mass balance non-compliant and requires segregation (FAQ 1.4). Platforms also pass reference numbers to the downstream operators and traders supplied (Article 4(7)), whose records hold those numbers where the supplier is an operator (Article 5(3)).

Plot Coordinates and GeoJSON Files

Capture apps record each plot with at least six decimal digits, and as a polygon for plots of more than four hectares (about 9.88 acres), other than for cattle (Article 2(28)). Field capture works offline with GNSS positioning (FAQ 1.1).

The system's GeoJSON File Description (updated 17 August 2026) requires RFC 7946, WGS 84 coordinates (EPSG:4326) and the types Point, MultiPoint, Polygon and MultiPolygon; coordinates are truncated to six decimals. The geolocation limit is 25 MB per statement (FAQ 7.16). Larger chains can group statements under Article 8a of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/3084, inserted by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1565, up to 1,000 per group in the system. The planned EUDR GeoJSON Checker tests files against these rules.

Satellite Analysis and Risk Scoring

The EUDR imposes no satellite tool or image resolution (FAQ 5.18), and the EU Observatory maps are free, non-mandatory and not legally binding (FAQ 9.10). Analysis tools compare each plot with forest maps for the cut-off date of 31 December 2020 (Article 2(13)); the Global Forest Cover map 2020 (GFC2020) has a 10 m resolution.

Risk engines document the 14 criteria of Article 10(2)(a) to (n), and the operator reviews its risk assessment at least once a year (Article 10(4)).

Filing Statements in the Information System Through Web Services

Software files through the Commission's SOAP web services, not a REST API; as of 5 November 2026 version V4 is current and V3 remains available during a transition period. The operator documentation says V3 will be deprecated and new integrations should target V4.

Users sign in to the EUDR Information System through EU Login, one account per user with several roles (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/3084, Article 10(1), as amended). Table 2 lists what a tool must meet.

Table 2. What the official web services require of a tool (as of 2026-11-05)

Item Rule Source
Protocol SOAP over HTTPS, WS-Security UsernameToken with PasswordDigest; no REST API Operator API documentation
Version V4 current; V3 available during the transition, to be deprecated; new integrations target V4 Operator API documentation
Services Due diligence statement service; simplified declaration service Operator API documentation
Credentials Web service user of an EU Login account linked to a registered operator, plus a private Authentication Key Acquiring Credentials page
Several operators One Web Service Access Identifier per operator in the BodyIdentity header Operator API documentation
Limits 10,000 calls per minute globally; 5 calls per second per IP address Acquiring Credentials page
Reference number Retrieve it at least one hour after submission Acquiring Credentials page
Testing Acceptance environment first; submissions there have no legal value Commission Green Forum
Amend or withdraw Within 72 hours after the reference number is made available IR 2024/3084, Art. 5(1)

The system assigns a reference number, or a declaration identifier for a simplified declaration, plus a verification number (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/3084, Article 7).

Tools test each connection first in the acceptance environment, a replica of production for training and testing with its own registration.

Service definitions for developers are documented under EUDR API.

Record modules keep due diligence statements for five years from submission (Article 4(3)) and the documentation for at least five years (Article 12(5)); downstream operators and traders keep their information at least five years (Article 5(4)). Legality modules store evidence for the eight headings of Article 2(40)(a) to (h), collected under Article 9(1)(h). ERP links carry the reference number or declaration identifier to customs before release for free circulation or export (Article 26(4)).

How to Choose EUDR Software: Criteria for Roles, Annex I, Country Risk and Records

This guide checks a tool against legal fit, operational fit and commercial terms; the Commission publishes no selection checklist. A tool built for the 2023 text misses the four roles since 26 December 2025, the 89 Annex I entries after Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/2102 and the classes of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1093 (140 low-risk, 4 high-risk, the rest standard).

Table 3. Criteria before choosing EUDR software

Criterion What to check Provision Guide
Role coverage Four roles since 2025-12-26; no statement filing for downstream operators and traders Art. 2(15) to (17), 5 EUDR roles
Current Annex I 89 entries after Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/2102; removed lines out Annex I EUDR Annex I
Country risk Low, standard and high classes of IR 2025/1093 Art. 29 EUDR country benchmarking
Filing connection V4 web services, tested in the acceptance environment IR 2024/3084 Table 2
Credential model Own credentials or an authorised representative Art. 6 See above
Geolocation rules Six decimals, polygons above 4 ha, 25 MB per statement, grouping Art. 2(28); IR 2024/3084, Art. 8a See above
Method transparency Data basis, method, validation, reasoning per criterion BLE web seminar 2026-09-24 See below
Records and exit 5-year retention, export of data for checks Art. 4(3), 12(5) See above
Data protection IT infrastructure in the EEA; personal data in a statement kept at most 5 years IR 2024/3084, Art. 12(4), (5) None
Commercial terms Pricing unit, supplier onboarding fees, minimum term Not regulated See below

This guide's criteria; the Commission prescribes none.

What Do Authorities Expect From Tool Providers?

Germany's competent authority, the BLE, set out its expectations in a web seminar on 24 September 2026; the material is not legally binding. A tool makes its methodology, sources and evidence fully available to the operator. Satellite results come with data basis, method and validation. A numeric risk score alone is not enough: each criterion is reasoned. A legality check names its documents, and non-detection of a violation is no proof of legality. Producer-country systems and providers do not release importers or traders from their obligations.

The BLE observed opaque data and methods, tools not updated to the guidance, exclusion of smallholders, poor interoperability, different results from the same sources, and data-ownership concerns.

Checks on operators are set out under EUDR enforcement by competent authorities.

Which Claims Should Make You Cautious?

Six claims contradict the regulation as amended.

  • "EUDR-certified" or "approved" software: no approval scheme exists.
  • "Satellite-verified means compliant": no tool is imposed, and the maps are not legally binding.
  • "Official REST API": the official web services use SOAP.
  • "Downstream operators and traders file statements": Regulation (EU) 2025/2650 removed that duty.
  • "SMEs comply from 30 June 2026": the date is 30 June 2027, only for operators that are natural persons or micro or small undertakings established as such by 31 December 2024; products in the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 from 30 December 2026.
  • "The provider carries the liability": the operator stays responsible (Articles 4(3) and 6(1)).

What Does EUDR Software Cost, and What Does the Commission Estimate?

The Commission assumes due diligence costs of EUR 1,000, 10,000 or 15,000 per company per year (low, central, high) for standard or high-risk sourcing, half for low-risk sourcing (COM(2026) 191, section 5.1, 4 May 2026). It assumes EUR 500 per year for a micro or small primary operator.

Total annual costs fall from EUR 8.1 billion to EUR 2.0 billion, about 75 %, with 10.7 % per operator from the April 2025 FAQ and Guidance simplifications, according to the 2026 Commission review. These figures cover due diligence, not software. Compare offers by pricing unit (statement, supplier, plot or user), supplier onboarding fees and minimum term.

Is There Free EUDR Software?

Yes, the official tools are free: the EUDR Information System, its acceptance environment and web services, and the EU Observatory forest maps.

  • EUDR Information System: filing at the Commission's cost.
  • Acceptance environment: a replica for training and testing.
  • Operator web services: V4 SOAP services and documentation.
  • EU Observatory maps: GFC2020 and GFT2020 (Commission, JRC).

The Commission's legislation and certification-scheme repositories are "under construction" as of 5 November 2026, with launch planned "ahead of the EUDR's entry into application". A European Forest Institute (EFI) explainer of 7 July 2026 lists further free or open tools and is not comprehensive. This site's planned EUDR tools cover scope, roles and GeoJSON files.

Every rule on this page is checked against EUR-Lex and Commission sources; see how EUDR Guide verifies every fact. Placement on EUDR Guide is never sold.

This guide explains the rules; it is not legal advice for an individual case.

How Does EUDR Software Connect to Services, Certification and the Official FAQ?

Software is one of three kinds of optional support, next to services and certification; none replaces the operator's own due diligence. The Commission's positions on roles, filing and dates are summarised with the official EUDR FAQ answers.

Do You Need a Consultant or Certification Instead of Software?

Neither is required: the EUDR accredits no consultant, and certification is complementary information under Article 10(2)(n). EUDR compliance support is optional in the same way. What each scheme proves is set out under certification and the EUDR.

What Is the EUDR Multi-Stakeholder Platform?

The EUDR Multi-Stakeholder Platform is the Commission expert group named in Article 15(5) that gives technical feedback on implementation; it is not software. COM(2026) 191 of 4 May 2026 counts 89 members (62 stakeholders and 27 Member States), and its meeting summaries are linked from the Green Forum EUDR page (checked 5 November 2026).

Questions About EUDR Software and the Commission Guidance

The answers below rest on Guidance C/2026/3896 (third edition, OJ C of 20 July 2026) and FAQ Version 5 (April 2026), both non-binding (Article 15(5)). The Commission guidance document and FAQ are indexed with the implementing acts.

Can a Micro or Small Primary Operator File the Simplified Declaration Through Software?

Yes: the web services include a simplified-declaration service for micro or small primary operators in a low-risk country (Article 4a). The one-time declaration is not Article 13 simplified due diligence. Who qualifies is set out for micro or small primary operators.

Does a Test Submission in the Acceptance Environment Count?

No: it is a replica for training and testing, and submissions there have no legal value. Only a statement submitted in production receives a reference number for customers and customs.

Does the Information System Show Satellite Imagery of Plots?

No: the system map is based on OpenStreetMap without a satellite background (FAQ 7.5). Comparisons with forest maps or imagery run outside the system, in a tool or with the free EU Observatory maps.

Will the Application Date Move Again, and Does That Change Software Plans?

No: no further postponement is proposed as of 5 November 2026, and the obligations apply from 30 December 2026, subject to the Article 38(3) deferral above. Each earlier EUDR delay is documented with the act that decided it.

Sources