EUDR Geolocation Requirements: Plot Coordinates Guide

Geolocation is the requirement that has no precedent in any previous EU regulation — and the one most suppliers fail first. This guide covers the rules, the formats, the traps and the field-tested collection methods.

1. The rules in brief

RuleRequirement
Coordinate systemWGS-84 (Geodetic Datum), in decimal degrees (latitude, longitude)
Plots ≤ 4 hectaresA single point (one latitude + longitude pair) is acceptable
Plots > 4 hectaresPolygons required — the boundary of the plot traced by at least 4 (typically 6+) coordinate points
Mixed plotsIf a plot hosts several producers, a polygon covering all production plots is acceptable
Who needs itEvery plot of production for every volume placed on the EU market — no exemptions by size of supplier

2. The conversion traps (where coordinates go wrong)

GCJ-02 vs WGS-84 — the Chinese map problem

Coordinates picked from Chinese map services (Amap/Gaode, Tencent Maps, Baidu) are encrypted into GCJ-02 (Amap, Tencent) or BD-09 (Baidu) — deliberately shifted from true WGS-84 positions by roughly 100–700 metres. Submitting GCJ-02 coordinates as WGS-84 mislocates your plots into forests, rivers or other people's land. Consequences: failed deforestation screening, rejected DDS, or worse — a compliance claim you cannot substantiate.

Datum confusion in surveying documents

Official forestry permits and cadastral maps in China often use CGCS2000 or Beijing 54 / Xi'an 80 grids (Gauss-Kruger projections). CGCS2000 and WGS-84 are close (centimetre-level) but the projection must be converted from grid easting/northing to decimal degrees. A conversion we perform routinely — and which generic online converters frequently get wrong for these local datums.

Check yourself: if your latitude is around 22–53 and longitude 73–135 for a location you know is in China, but the point lands 300–600 m off when you drop it on an OpenStreetMap satellite view — you are looking at GCJ-02 or a mis-converted grid coordinate.

3. Field collection methods that actually work

  1. Smartphone GPS collection — free apps outputting raw GPS (WGS-84) points; keep 2–5 m accuracy, record with GPS fix, not tapped map position (tapping a Chinese map app re-encodes into GCJ-02!).
  2. Offline-first workflows — rural plots have no signal; use apps that store records offline and sync later.
  3. Concession/permit map digitisation — where permits already define boundaries, georeference the permit map and digitise the polygon; validate against satellite imagery.
  4. Quality control — every coordinate batch passes automated checks: inside-country validation, overlap detection, area consistency vs claimed volume, water-body/urban placement warnings.
  5. Documentation — store coordinates with producer ID, plot area, species, and collection date; they become part of your 5-year DDS record.
We supply the toolkit: standardised Excel/CSV templates matching the EU Information System format, collection SOPs for field staff, conversion of existing permit maps (incl. CGCS2000/Gauss-Kruger), and batch quality screening.

4. FAQ

Can I use my phone's GPS?

Yes — phone GPS receivers output true WGS-84. The risk is the app layer: map apps in China display and store GCJ-02/BD-09. Use apps that record raw GPS fixes.

My supplier is a trader, not the farm. Who provides coordinates?

The data must come from the production plots. Your due diligence SOP should require traders to pass through plot data, with your right to audit it. Traders who cannot — are your supply-chain risk, not your customer's problem.

Do I need polygons for everything?

Points suffice under 4 ha. In practice we recommend polygons wherever obtainable — they survive screening better and future-proof your data.

Have coordinates already? Get them verified.

We audit existing coordinate files, fix conversions and build your collection programme. Solution proposal within three business days.

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