which evidence documents must I precisely collect and retain for the EUDR

Which documents together form the file

A deforestation regulation file consists of a combination of data on origin, geodata and documents demonstrating the trading chain, supplemented by the risk assessment and the measures resulting from it. Specifically, this concerns: the exact description and quantity of the product, the country and parcels of production with their geolocation, the name and contact details of who supplied the product, and information demonstrating that the timber, coffee, cocoa, rubber, soya, palm oil or beef was produced without deforestation after the relevant date for that purpose, and in accordance with the legislation of the country of production. This also includes the results of the risk assessment itself: which risk indicators were reviewed, which information was consulted, and what conclusion was drawn from it.

In addition to these substantive data, the file must also contain the documents confirming the chain: invoices, contracts, transport documents and, where relevant, certifications or other third-party information used as supporting evidence. Those who resell products within the EU also have to deal with the statement number that a supplier provides; what must be done with that number is a question that in practice often runs alongside the file compilation itself. All of these documents together form the basis on which the due diligence statement or the simplified statement is drawn up.

Where this follows from: Article 9 and Annex II

The obligation to collect this data follows from Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, which describes the content of the due diligence system, in combination with Annex II, which sets out the precise information requirements for geolocation and origin. The regulation directly links the retention obligation here: the collected data and documents together form the evidence with which it can be demonstrated to a competent authority that the due diligence obligation has been fulfilled. Which specific documents must be kept for a period of five years is described on the page on what must be kept for five years under the deforestation regulation, and how that check works in practice is addressed in the question how a deforestation regulation inspection proceeds and whether a warning is given for it.