Understand the purpose
Article 29 provides the framework for country or country-part classifications as low, standard or high risk. The classification concerns the risk associated with producing relevant commodities. It is not a label granting approval to every producer or shipment from that country.
The Commission publishes official benchmarking material. Use the current official classification and retain the date of the lookup. This guide does not maintain a country list that could silently become outdated.
Low risk is conditional
Article 13 can remove the standard Articles 10 and 11 assessment and mitigation obligations where its conditions are met. The operator still needs to assess relevant supply-chain complexity, circumvention and mixing issues and establish that all relevant commodities and products were produced in low-risk countries or parts.
Information gathering remains important. A low-risk country of shipment is not the same thing as a low-risk country of production. A shipment leaving a low-risk port may contain material produced elsewhere.
New information still matters
Where information or substantiated concerns indicate a risk of non-compliance, the simplified approach does not justify ignoring them. Article 13 requires the relevant operator to fulfil Articles 10 and 11 in those circumstances and communicate the relevant information to the competent authority.
Keep a route for staff and suppliers to escalate concerns after an initial screening. A spreadsheet with a green country cell should not prevent a product-specific investigation.
How to record the lookup
- Identify the actual country or countries of production.
- Consult the Commission’s official benchmarking resources.
- Record the classification, source and lookup date.
- Check eligibility and conditions for any simplified route.
- Keep the conclusion connected to the product evidence.
These are suggested review steps. If national guidance affects your process, keep it with the documented risk review.
Primary sources
Articles 13 and 29. Legal review used the consolidated text dated 18 September 2026. Consolidated texts are documentation tools; authentic acts are published in the Official Journal.
Check the current sources and relevant competent authority guidance for your situation. This page is not legal advice or a compliance determination.