What geolocation data must I provide for my own plots?

For small plots, a point suffices; for large plots, a polygon

Which geolocation data are required depends on the size of the plot and the product. For plots up to and including four hectares, a geolocation point—the coordinates of latitude and longitude, with a precision of six decimal places—is sufficient to establish the location of production. For larger plots used for the production of timber, cocoa, coffee, rubber, soy or palm oil, a stricter requirement applies: a polygon is needed, meaning a series of coordinates that describe the perimeter of the plot, so that the precise extent and shape are visible. For cattle, this polygon requirement does not apply; the location of the facility where the animals were held is sufficient.

This data applies to each consignment that is imported, traded or exported, and it must be traceable to the moment of harvest or production. Where multiple plots together form one consignment, the geolocation data of all those plots are collected and linked to that same consignment. In practice, this means that a business with dispersed plots cannot rely on a single average location, but must provide the correct form of geolocation data for each plot—point or polygon, depending on the area and the product. This data constitutes input for the file and for the compliance statement, but in itself says nothing about whether production on that land was deforestation-free or legal; that assessment remains a separate step.

This is set out in Article 9 and Annex II of the Regulation

The obligation to provide geolocation data follows from Article 9(1)(d) of Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, which sets out the information requirements for due diligence. The precise form—point or polygon, the four-hectare threshold and the precision of six decimal places—is detailed in Annex II to that same Regulation. For the full and current text, EUR-Lex is the authoritative source.