As a small forest owner, do I have to file a statement for every sale?

No. Micro and small primary operators from low-risk countries, including Slovakia and Czechia, file one simplified declaration in the EUDR Information System.

Does a sawmill have to file its own due diligence statement?

Not since the amendment by Regulation 2025/2650. As a downstream operator, the sawmill keeps its supplier's statement reference number and records of suppliers and customers for 5 years.

When does the EUDR apply to timber?

From 30 December 2026. For micro and small companies with other commodities from 30 June 2027; for timber already covered by the EUTR, according to the European Commission, from 30 December 2026.

How precise must the plot location be?

The geolocation of the plot where the timber was harvested: point coordinates, or for plots over 4 hectares a polygon of its boundaries.

EUDR for Timber Sellers: Obligations 2026

Short answer

After its amendment by Regulation 2025/2650, the EUDR (Regulation (EU) 2023/1115) applies from 30 December 2026. Whoever first places timber on the EU market – for example a forest owner selling their own timber – must show it comes from land not deforested after 31 December 2020, that it was harvested legally, and provide the geolocation of the plot. Others further down the chain (sawmills, traders) no longer file their own statement but keep the reference number of their supplier's statement.

Deadlines

30 December 2026 – large and medium companies, all downstream operators and traders. According to the European Commission's overview, also micro and small companies for timber and timber products already covered by the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR).
30 June 2027 – micro and small companies and natural persons for the other EUDR commodities.
The dates have already moved twice (Regulations 2024/3234 and 2025/2650), so check them with the competent authority before deciding.

Who is who in the chain

Primary operator – the first to place timber on the EU market: a forest owner or manager selling their own timber, or an importer from outside the EU. Files the due diligence statement in the EUDR Information System.
Downstream operator – processes or further places on the market timber already placed on the EU market, e.g. a sawmill. Does not file its own statement.
Trader – buys and sells timber without processing it. Does not file its own statement either.

What a primary operator must do

1. Collect information on the timber: species, quantity, country and the geolocation of the plot (point coordinates, or a polygon for plots over 4 ha), date or period of harvest.
2. Verify the timber is deforestation-free (the plot was not deforested after 31 December 2020) and harvested under the law of the country of origin.
3. Before selling, file a due diligence statement in the EUDR Information System and pass its reference number to the buyer.
4. Keep the records for 5 years.

Simplification for small forest owners

Micro and small primary operators from low-risk countries file one simplified declaration in the Information System instead of repeated statements (its content is set out in Annex III of the regulation). Slovakia and Czechia are both classified as low-risk by the European Commission.

What a sawmill and a trader must do

Downstream operators and traders do not file their own statement. They must collect and keep the reference number of the primary operator's statement and records of who they bought from and sold to – for 5 years. Those that are not SMEs must register in the EUDR Information System.

Slovakia

In Slovakia the regulation is implemented by a law adopted in 2025 on a proposal of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Operators and traders are supervised by the Slovak Forestry and Wood Inspectorate (Slovenská lesnícko-drevárska inšpekcia) in Zvolen. The ministry publishes updates at mpsr.sk.

Czechia

In Czechia the main competent authority for the EUDR is the National Forestry Institute (Národní lesnický institut, an expert body of the Ministry of Agriculture, contact eudr@nli.gov.cz). Customs checks declarations on import and export. The Ministry of Agriculture publishes information at mze.gov.cz.

How the app helps

TIMBERPOLIS stores with your timber records the location of the plot of origin from GPS or the Forest Atlas, the species, quantity and harvest date – the data you need for the statement. When buying, you save your supplier's statement reference number with the load.

Sources

This overview is for information only and does not replace legal advice or the text of the regulations. The operator is responsible for meeting the obligations. For specific questions, contact the competent authority.

EUDR: what a timber seller has to do