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EUDR · Cocoa

EUDR and cocoa: what importers must collect

Cocoa beans and everything downstream — paste, butter, powder, and chocolate — are covered.

Cocoa · Regulation (EU) 2023/1115

Cocoa is one of the seven commodities covered by the EU Deforestation Regulation, so cocoa — and the products derived from it — cannot enter the EU market unless it is deforestation-free (after 31 December 2020), legally produced, and covered by a Due Diligence Statement.

Cocoa products in scope (illustrative)

  • Cocoa beans
  • Cocoa paste & butter
  • Cocoa powder
  • Chocolate & preparations

Is cocoa covered by the EUDR?

Yes. Cocoa is on the list of seven commodities, alongside cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soya, and wood. Scope extends to the derived products in Annex I — so a finished good containing cocoa can be in scope too. If you are unsure about a specific product, the coverage checker resolves it, and the exact boundary is the HS code in Annex I.

What cocoa importers have to collect

The same three things every covered commodity needs: plot geolocation for the ground it came from, evidence it was produced legally and is deforestation-free, and a Due Diligence Statement filed in TRACES before customs.

Most cocoa originates with West African smallholders. Chocolate makers are usually downstream operators and can often rely on a Due Diligence Statement filed upstream — confirm the DDS reference travels with the goods.

When does this apply, and what next?

From 30 December 2026 for large and medium operators and 30 June 2027 for micro and small enterprises — see the deadlines. Start by confirming which cocoa products you handle are in scope, then ask suppliers for geolocation and DDS references now. The EUDR overview walks the full flow, and EUDR for SMEs covers the reliefs for smaller importers.

Sources

Last reviewed 11 July 2026