COPE (with) EUDR - Enterprise Survey on Compliance Practice

EUDR COmpliance Practice Evaluation

In order to comply with the requirements of the EU Regulation on deforestation-free supply chains (EUDR), companies based in the EU must meet numerous requirements. It is not yet clear how costly compliance will be for companies and how this compares to the benefits.

Background and Objective

The provisions of the EUDR must be applied in the EU from 30 December 2026 by affected companies that import certain products made from the raw materials wood, soy, palm oil, rubber, beef, coffee or cocoa. By means of a due diligence statement, companies must, among other things, provide the geographical coordinates of the production sites and confirm that the raw materials were produced without deforestation or forest degradation. Companies are free to choose the means by which they provide this evidence.

Target Group

Politics and science

Approach

A comprehensive sample survey of affected companies and control authorities in the EU will be used to estimate the costs incurred by companies in complying with EUDR requirements. This will be used to derive recommendations for more efficient implementation of the regulation and a possible reduction in administrative burdens. In addition, the survey will identify the procedures used by companies to ensure the geolocation of production sites and verify that they are deforestation-free, in order to derive practical recommendations for more effective handling by companies and national control authorities.

Our Research Questions

How much does it cost for EU companies to comply with the EUDR requirements?
What are the technical and content-related challenges of fulfilling due diligence obligations?
What procedures do companies use to geolocate their production sites?
Does the EUDR have an impact on trade?
How does the compliance burden relate to the volume of trade and the risk of deforestation?
How can the EUDR be implemented more efficiently and where are there opportunities to reduce bureaucracy?