We are an AgTech company specialised in field data solutions in complex and smallholder-heavy agri-commodity supply chains such as cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber and soy.

Meridia

## What the EC proposal means for primary operators, brands/retailers, the role of substantiated concerns, and how to be submission-ready.

The Commission’s proposal may remove routine DDS submissions for many downstream actors, but primary operators still carry the core due diligence and DDS burden. In this 30-minute briefing, Meridia’s experts unpack the split responsibilities and the “substantiated concern” trigger.

## Key topics

1.  Primary operators: what stays on your plate (risk assessment, DDS, and evidence)
2.  The “substantiated concern” clause: how it pulls everyone back into verification—even when DDS is waived downstream
3.  What to do now: a practical, time-bound readiness plan for the application date

## **Agenda (30 min)**

*   Context: the “take it or leave it” proposal & what changes by actor
*   Primary operators: risk assessment, DDS, and defensible evidence
*   Downstream/traders: recordkeeping, DDS reference tracking, and the substantiated concern trigger
*   How Meridia Verify operationalises risk assessment and mitigation to keep your data submission-ready


EUDR update: Unpacking the grace period and the reduced burden for downstream operator

To help bridge the regulatory gaps, **Meridia,** a Dutch AgTech organisation with over 10 years of expertise in data quality verification, mapping, and land tenure issues, and **Solidaridad**, a global civil society organisation with expertise in developing solutions that drive sustainable and inclusive agricultural supply chains with over a decade of experience in Ghana’s oil palm sector, will jointly organise a webinar for oil palm producers and exporters.

The discussions will revolve around such key topics as:

*   The overview of the EUDR and its implications for palm oil.
*   Traceability and sustainable land use.
*   Opportunities for smallholder farmers.
*   Mitigating challenges and navigating the costs involved.


Strategic EUDR insights for Ghana’s Palm Oil producers

Join Meridia, Passionfruit and Volcafe to learn practical strategies for navigating EUDR compliance—covering data collection and verification, supply chain transparency, and responding to evolving customer requirements. 

**For whom it is and why:**

This webinar is tailored for sustainability, procurement, and compliance professionals working in commodity sectors affected by EUDR. If you’re past the theory and need real-world solutions for managing supplier data, verifying compliance, and handling customer requests efficiently, this session is for you. Expect practical guidance, industry insights, and a chance to get your toughest questions answered.

**What you will learn:**

*   How to collect and verify field data efficiently to assess EUDR compliance.
*   Smart ways to organise and manage supply chain knowledge across large networks.
*   Practical approaches for handling questionnaires, codes of conduct, and customer expectations.
*   Insights from experience in managing EUDR across global suppliers—what worked, what didn’t, and what’s next.


EUDR compliance in action: managing data, suppliers, and customer requests

This advanced webinar is **tailored for professionals already familiar with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)** who are seeking the most **current insights and practical approaches** to deepen their compliance journey. With EUDR standards evolving, staying ahead requires both a nuanced understanding of the regulation and effective strategies for addressing data verification and supply chain transparency.

# Agenda

Our session begins with [**Nicko Debenham's**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicko-debenham-a667072a/) overview of recent feedback from National Competent Authorities (NCAs), focusing on key regulatory insights, priority issues, and actionable advice to strengthen compliance preparations.

[**Anna Laven**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-laven-56758a11/) will then tackle the pressing issues impacting data quality and transparency on the ground, including deforestation, unregistered supply chain participants, and high turnover rates among workforce members. Her insights will underscore the complexity of achieving visibility and traceability, particularly where indirect supply chains present unique challenges to maintaining compliance.

To close, [**Thomas Vaassen**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasvaassen/) will provide a step-by-step approach for enhancing data readiness, addressing core areas such as data quality, integrity, and plausibility. He’ll illustrate how organisations can anticipate and correct potential compliance gaps through practical examples, ensuring data resilience across various commodity types.

This webinar, which **includes a live Q\&A session** to address your questions, offers in-depth guidance and actionable insights for those looking to refine their EUDR compliance approach and meet the demands of this critical regulation.


EUDR compliance essentials

Under the European Union Deforestation Regulation (**EUDR)** and for voluntary **DCF commitments**, a “protected area” flag is neither a green light nor an automatic red line. The starting point is *legality and conservation:* what are the protected area objectives, what does national law allow, and can we document compliance?

The Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT) provides authoritative protected and conserved area data, the **World Database on Protected and Conserved Areas (WDPCA)**. **Meridia** adds the missing layers: national and local permissions, legal context, on-the-ground checks, and audit-ready evidence packs.

What you’ll learn:

*   Why protected areas matter for EUDR and how they are governed under international and national frameworks.
*   Best practices for using WDPCA
*   How to document lawful agriculture in or near protected areas with permits, zoning, controls and field verification
*   How Meridia and IBAT together enable defensible sourcing decisions that protect conservation values and include smallholders.

Target audience: Procurement, Sustainability, Compliance and Legal leaders at commodity traders, and buyers sourcing from smallholder landscapes, entities.required to assess risk under the EUDR and sustainably source.


Protected areas: Making responsible, evidence‑based sourcing decisions and supporting risk assessment

Speakers

Lewis Kramer

Programme Officer at UNEP-WCMC

Joanna Karlic

Partnerships Lead at IBAT

Diego Juffe Bignoli

Director and Founder at Biodiversity Decisions

Christian Lemp

Head of Data and Methodology at Meridia

Replays

EUDR update: Unpacking the grace period and the reduced burden for downstream operator

Strategic EUDR insights for Ghana’s Palm Oil producers