Submitting a due diligence declaration in the European information system does not take long in itself: once logged in with a complete file, the declaration is usually generated and sent within a quarter of an hour, and you receive a reference number in return. The processing time that SMEs face almost always comes before that moment, in completing the file itself. Those who look at it realistically must allow for days to weeks, not minutes.
The reason is simple: the declaration is the final step in a chain of data that you usually do not have in-house. You need geodata of plots, a risk classification of the country of origin, and documents proving that the products were legally produced there. All these components must be correct and match each other before a declaration is substantively complete. Filling in the system itself is then the easiest part.
Where the time really goes
In practice, processing time breaks down into three blocks. The first is gathering origin data from suppliers: plots, coordinates, production dates. This block takes the longest if you are speaking to a supplier about this data for the first time, and shorter if it is already part of an ongoing purchasing relationship. The second block is validation: do the coordinates match the stated plot, is the country correctly classified, is nothing missing for the product stream in question. This is the block where you want to detect errors early, because an incomplete file that you only discover when submitting costs you the most time back. The third block is submission itself: generating the declaration, filling in the final fields in the information system, and sending it.
Those building a file for the first time often underestimate the first block. A supplier who has never been asked for geocoordinates must sort that out themselves or inquire with their own suppliers, and that rarely happens within a few days. For repeat purchases from the same supplier and the same plot, this is considerably faster the second or third time, because the basic data is already established and only current documents and any changes to the plot need to be checked.
What delays submission itself
Once the file is complete, submission in the information system usually runs smoothly. Delays at this point arise mainly from three things: a registration that is not yet in order, a supplier's reference number that has not been correctly transferred, or a declaration drawn up for the wrong role in the chain. The latter is the reason why determining your role and its associated entry date deserves a separate, earlier step and is not something you sort out during submission itself. Those who have not yet clarified this can have it determined in a few questions before the file is built.
Another point where time is lost is confusion about which documents exactly belong to which raw material and which country. This differs by product stream, and it is not something you want to puzzle out under time pressure while a shipment is ready. In the knowledge base by topic this is set out per situation, so you do that preparatory work earlier in the process rather than just before submission.
What you can do about it
The main time saving does not lie in the system, but in how early you start requesting origin data and how systematically you record it. A file built per product stream — supplier, country, plot, documents — is faster to complete than data scattered across email exchanges and loose files. How we tackle that structuring and validation precisely is explained on the page about our working method. The substantive risk assessment and ultimate responsibility for the declaration remain with the economic operator; we provide support in structuring, validating and generating, not in assessing whether a product is deforestation-free.
For those uncertain whether their own situation requires a declaration at all, or when exactly it must be submitted, it is advisable to clarify this first before investing time in the file. With the free role check, you can see where you stand within a few minutes, and in the collection of frequently asked questions you will find answers to most practical questions that arise during this process.