GS1 helps companies exchange information about EU regulations regarding deforestation

As of the end of 2025, the new EU regulation on deforestation (the Regulation on Deforestation-free products or EUDR) will come into effect. Its objective is to combat global deforestation, and it applies to the following seven product categories (incl. derivatives like chocolate):

✅ Livestock;

✅ Cacao;

✅ Coffee;

✅ Palm oil;

✅ Rubber;

✅ Soy;

✅ Wood.

This regulation requires operators (e.g., manufacturers or brand owners) and traders (e.g., distributors and retailers) to implement the necessary due diligence measures to ensure that the products they place or sell on the EU market have not contributed to deforestation elsewhere in the world.

The parties involved are required to create a Due Diligence Statement for each production batch they place on the EU market or export from the EU. The European Union provides a platform for uploading these Due Diligence Statements. Once submitted, a Due Diligence Statement Reference Number and a Verification Number will be assigned to the specific batch. These numbers will then need to be shared with trade partners.

GS1 Belgilux has collaborated with companies to determine the best way to exchange reference and verification numbers within the supply chain. Since this information is required at the batch level, exchanging it via EDI messages emerged as the most logical solution.

Adaptation of the GS1 EDI Standard

The following elements will be added to the Dispatch Advice (DESADV) and Order Confirmation (ORDER) to enable trade partners to exchange the necessary information:

Code: DDR
Code Name (EN): Due Diligence Reference Number
Code Description (EN): EUDR Due Diligence Reference Number (from Due Diligence Statement TRACES)
Definition: a unique number for each Due Diligence Statement, that is created when submitted.
Code: DDV
Code Name (EN): Due Diligence Verification Number
Code Description (EN): EUDR Due Diligence Verification Number (from Due Diligence Statement TRACES)
Definition: a number that is created automatically by the system, only visible for the submitter and Customs Authority.

This means that deforestation/EUDR-related information can now be shared via the RFF segment.

For example:

RFF+DDR:1234567890:1' //Due Diligence Reference number “1234567890” referring to the 1st line item (LIN segment)
RFF+DDV:9876543210:1' //Due Diligence Verification number “9876543210” referring to the 1st line item (LIN segment)

Conclusion

The above proposal has already been approved by the transactional data working group and will be published this month in the new international version of the EANCOM standard. The local Belgium-Luxembourg Harmonised Order 2 Cash (HO2C) will also be updated accordingly.

We strongly encourage companies that distribute products covered by the new deforestation regulation to discuss with their implementation partners how to update their systems to send and receive this new information via EDI. The deadline for compliance (end of 2025) is approaching quickly.

Questions? Contact us via support@gs1belu.org.