EUDR geolocation obligations are precise but compact: every production plot must be located with latitude and longitude to at least six decimal places, plots larger than four hectares need a polygon, and each plot needs its own stable identity. This page turns those rules into checks you can apply to supplier files before DDS preparation.
A practical preparation workflow
- 1
Classify every production plot: point if up to four hectares, polygon if larger.
- 2
Capture decimal-degree coordinates with at least six decimal places and a stable plot identity.
- 3
Validate structure, connect the plot to supplier evidence, and retain the versioned file with the case.
Point or polygon: the four-hectare rule
The regulation treats small and large plots differently. For a plot of land of up to four hectares, geolocation may be provided as a single latitude and longitude point. For a plot larger than four hectares, the geolocation must be provided as a polygon that outlines the plot boundary with sufficient precision. For cattle products, the geolocation targets the establishment where the cattle were kept, and a point is used. Neighbouring fields are separate plots: prepare one geometry per plot instead of merging them into a single boundary.
Six decimal places in decimal degrees
EUDR geolocation is expressed as latitude and longitude coordinates in decimal degrees with a precision of at least six decimal places. GeoJSON, the format accepted for plot files in the EU Information System, stores coordinates in longitude-before-latitude order on the WGS84 datum. A coordinate pair that passes numeric range checks can still be axis-swapped and land in the wrong country, so order and country plausibility should be checked together.
One stable identity per plot
Each geometry needs a stable plot identifier that survives re-export, editing, and normalization, and the business record should say which producer, supplier, batch, or shipment depends on it. Duplicate features, overlapping boundaries between plots, and features with no association to a product flow are common review findings that a structurally valid file can still contain.
From supplier files to EUDR-ready GeoJSON
Suppliers deliver plot data in many shapes: KML placemarks from mapping tools, coordinate columns in CSV or XLSX exports, or GeoJSON exported from GIS software. Convert the supported structures to GeoJSON, keep the original file as evidence, and record what changed during conversion. The KML to GeoJSON converter and the CSV and XLSX to GeoJSON converter on this site run these bounded transformations in the browser.
Validate structure before any screening
Before a plot file supports a filing decision, check FeatureCollection structure, geometry presence, ring closure, self-intersection, coordinate ranges, and plot_id presence, then optionally run satellite screening on a validated polygon. Structural validation and external screening are separate steps with separate evidence. The free GeoJSON validator performs the bounded structural checks locally in your browser.
What valid geolocation does not prove
A precise, structurally valid polygon can still belong to the wrong producer, omit part of the production land, duplicate another supplier's plot, or fail to match the batches actually shipped. Geolocation requirements describe the data to collect; the real-world identity of each boundary still needs review against supplier evidence before DDS preparation.
What to check
- Point for plots up to 4 hectares
- Polygon above 4 hectares
- Six-decimal latitude and longitude
- One stable plot_id per plot
These are data-collection rules; they do not verify that coordinates identify the correct production land or establish compliance.
Questions teams ask
Does my plot need a point or a polygon?
A single latitude-longitude point is allowed for plots of up to four hectares; plots larger than four hectares require a polygon outlining the boundary, and cattle establishments use a point.
What coordinate precision does the EUDR require?
Latitude and longitude in decimal degrees with at least six decimal places, which is roughly 0.1 metre of precision.
Which file format should EUDR geolocation use?
The EU Information System accepts GeoJSON for plot files, so KML, CSV, and spreadsheet sources are converted to GeoJSON before submission.
Can one polygon cover several plots?
No. Each plot of land is geolocated separately, so prepare one geometry with one stable plot_id per plot; merged or overlapping boundaries are review findings.
Does valid geolocation prove EUDR compliance?
No. It satisfies the data-format side of the geolocation obligation; plot identity, completeness, evidence quality, and risk conclusions still require review.