Under the EU Deforestation Regulation, no amount of quality documentation matters if you cannot point to exactly where the wood behind your charcoal was grown. EUDR geolocation for charcoal is the requirement to provide the precise coordinates of every plot of land where the trees were harvested, so authorities can check that supply against deforestation data. For importers, that data has to come from the supplier, which means knowing exactly what to ask for, in what format, and how it links to a compliant due-diligence statement.
Key takeaways
- EUDR requires geolocation, latitude and longitude, for every plot of land where the wood behind your charcoal was harvested.
- Plots over four hectares must be described as polygons; smaller plots may use a single coordinate point, both to at least six decimal places.
- Coordinates are only useful alongside traceability and legality proof that tie each plot to the specific charcoal lot.
- The importer files the due-diligence statement, but the geolocation data must be supplied and warranted by the producer.
- Ask for machine-readable geolocation, such as GeoJSON, so it uploads to the EU system without re-keying.
Why Geolocation Is the Heart of EUDR for Charcoal
Charcoal is a wood-derived product under HS heading 4402, which puts it squarely in scope of the EU Deforestation Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1115). The regulation's central idea is simple but demanding: to place charcoal on the EU market, you must be able to link it to the exact land where its raw material was grown, and show that land was not deforested after 31 December 2020.
That link is made through geolocation. Coordinates are what let authorities cross-check your supply against satellite deforestation data, so EUDR geolocation for charcoal is not an optional extra, it is the mechanism the whole regulation runs on. Without coordinates tied to your goods, you cannot demonstrate that the charcoal is deforestation-free, no matter how strong the rest of your file is.
Because charcoal is made from harvested wood, the plots in question are the plantations and orchards where trees such as eucalyptus, lychee, longan and orange-pomelo grew before they were carbonised. This article focuses on the geolocation piece specifically; for the full compliance picture, including risk assessment and penalties, see our EUDR compliance checklist for charcoal importers.
What Coordinates You Must Provide
Geolocation under EUDR means the geographic coordinates of every plot of land where the relevant wood was produced, expressed as latitude and longitude. There are two formats, and which one applies depends on the size of the plot.
| Plot size | What to provide |
|---|---|
| Four hectares or less | At least one latitude and longitude point |
| More than four hectares | A polygon with enough points to describe the plot's perimeter |
In both cases the coordinates should carry at least six decimal digits of precision, which pins a location down to a few metres. A single charcoal lot may draw wood from several plots, so expect a set of coordinates or polygons per lot rather than a single point for the whole shipment.
Format matters as much as content. Ask for the data in a machine-readable form such as GeoJSON, so it can be uploaded to the EU system without being re-keyed by hand, which is both slow and error-prone. Coordinates buried in a PDF or a photo of a map are far harder to work with and easier to get wrong.
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The Legality and Traceability Behind the Coordinates
Coordinates on their own prove very little. Two things have to sit behind them for the geolocation to mean anything under EUDR.
- Legality: evidence that the wood was harvested in line with the laws of the country of origin, including any forestry, land-use and harvesting rules.
- Traceability: an unbroken link from the harvest plot to the kiln and on to the finished charcoal, so the coordinates genuinely correspond to the goods you are buying rather than to some other supply.
Without traceability, a set of accurate coordinates could describe land that has nothing to do with your charcoal. That is why a credible supplier can show how a specific lot maps back to specific plots, not just hand over a generic list of locations. Country context also feeds in: the EU benchmarks producing countries by risk, and Vietnam was classified as standard risk in the initial benchmarking, which you should confirm as current before each shipment.
These are the same threads that run through the wider import file. Our guide to importing charcoal from Vietnam shows how legality and traceability documents sit alongside the phytosanitary certificate, Certificate of Origin and per-lot COA.
From Coordinates to a Due-Diligence Statement
Geolocation data does not act on its own; it feeds the due-diligence statement (DDS) that the importer must file. Understanding that flow shows why the supplier's data is your responsibility too.
- The supplier provides the geolocation for every harvest plot, plus legality and traceability documents.
- The importer, as the operator placing goods on the market, assembles this information for the consignment.
- The importer assesses the risk of non-compliance and mitigates it where needed.
- The importer files the DDS through the EU Information System and receives a reference number that travels with the consignment.
Legal responsibility for the statement sits with the operator, usually the importer, even though the underlying coordinates come from the producer. That is why the quality and accuracy of your supplier's geolocation directly determines whether you can file a clean statement. Records, including the geolocation, must be kept for at least five years, because authorities can ask to see them long after the goods have sold. If you are still choosing a partner, our note for the European importer's charcoal supplier covers what to expect.
What to Require From Your Charcoal Supplier
Because your compliance depends on the data you receive, put these requirements in the purchase agreement rather than in a side email.
- Geolocation for every harvest plot behind the lot, as points or polygons per the four-hectare rule, to at least six decimal places.
- The data in a machine-readable format such as GeoJSON, ready to upload.
- A written legality and deforestation-free declaration referencing the 31 December 2020 cutoff.
- Traceability that links the coordinates to the specific production lot.
- A warranty that the data is accurate, with an obligation to update it if anything changes.
- Supporting export documents, including the phytosanitary certificate, Certificate of Origin and a per-lot COA.
VUTRUX supplies EUDR due-diligence and phytosanitary documentation and an independent-lab COA per lot, and offers sample-before-order so you can check product and paperwork together before committing a container. To source against these requirements, request an EUDR-ready quote with your destination and volume.
Getting EUDR-Ready Charcoal
Geolocation is the foundation, but it works only as part of a complete, consistent file. Before you confirm an EU-bound order, make sure you can tick off each of these:
- Coordinates or polygons for every harvest plot, at the right precision.
- Data in a machine-readable format you can upload without re-keying.
- Legality evidence for the country of origin.
- Traceability tying the coordinates to the specific lot.
- A deforestation-free declaration against the 2020 cutoff.
- The current EUDR risk classification for the country confirmed.
EUDR application dates and simplification measures have been adjusted more than once, so confirm the current timeline and technical guidance with your competent authority before each shipment. When your geolocation and documents are in order, the rest of the import runs far more smoothly. Ready to source charcoal with the data already prepared? Request a sample and documentation pack to get started.
Frequently asked questions
What is EUDR geolocation for charcoal?
It is the requirement to provide the geographic coordinates, latitude and longitude, of every plot of land where the wood behind your charcoal was harvested. Because charcoal is a wood product in scope of the EU Deforestation Regulation, those coordinates let authorities check the supply against deforestation data and confirm the goods are deforestation-free.
Do I need polygons or points for charcoal harvest plots?
It depends on plot size. Plots of four hectares or less may be described with at least one latitude and longitude point, while plots larger than four hectares must be given as a polygon with enough points to describe the perimeter. In both cases, coordinates should carry at least six decimal places of precision.
Who provides the geolocation data, the supplier or the importer?
The supplier provides the underlying geolocation, along with legality and traceability documents. The importer, as the operator placing goods on the EU market, files the due-diligence statement and is legally responsible for it. That is why the accuracy of your supplier's geolocation directly affects your ability to comply.
What format should charcoal geolocation data be in?
Ask for a machine-readable format such as GeoJSON so the coordinates can be uploaded to the EU Information System without being re-keyed by hand. Coordinates trapped in a PDF or a photo of a map are slower to process and far more prone to error, which raises your compliance risk.
Is Vietnamese charcoal EUDR compliant?
It can be, provided the wood is legally harvested and deforestation-free after the 31 December 2020 cutoff and you hold the geolocation and traceability records tying each plot to the lot. Vietnam was benchmarked as standard risk in the initial classification; confirm the current status, and keep all due-diligence records for at least five years.