Orbify runs an automated compliance check on every plot using satellite data and other relevant datasets.
One of the core EUDR requirements is that commodities must not come from land that was subject to deforestation or forest degradation after 31 December 2020. This date is the EUDR's cutoff date.
Orbify checks each plot in the following order:
1. Country benchmarking
Orbify first shows the EU's risk classification for the country where the plot is located:
Low risk
Standard risk
High risk
This classification affects the level of scrutiny applied by EU authorities. The EUDR provides for checks on at least 1% of operators for low-risk countries, 3% for standard-risk countries, and 9% for high-risk countries.
2. Forest extent at the cutoff date
Orbify then assesses whether the plot was covered by forest on 31 December 2020.
This is important because the EUDR uses the end of 2020 as the reference point for determining whether subsequent land-use changes may constitute deforestation.
3. Commodity and land-use mapping
Orbify assesses the land use and the type of commodity or production associated with the plot.
For example, the system can distinguish relevant land-use situations such as planted forests.
Harvesting a planted forest that already existed in 2020 is not, by itself, considered deforestation under the EUDR. In contrast, converting natural forest to agricultural land or plantations can constitute deforestation.
4. Tree-cover loss since the cutoff date
Finally, Orbify looks for evidence of tree-cover loss on the plot from 2021 through the last full year covered by the available data.
This helps identify whether forest cover may have been removed after the EUDR cutoff date.
Can I see how Orbify reaches its result?
Yes. Each compliance check in the Orbify app includes an information (i) icon.
Select the icon to see an explanation of the check, including information about the methodology and datasets used.