SME
Also known as: Micro-undertaking · Small and medium-sized enterprise
EU size class that changes application dates — with a timber trap: micro and small operators already under the old EUTR follow December 2026, not the later SME date.
What it means
SME and micro-undertaking status reuses the Union’s company-size thresholds. Under EUDR it mainly affects when obligations bite and whether non-operator traders must register — not whether a first-placing operator files a statement.
In the regulation
After Regulation (EU) 2025/2650, large and medium operators apply from 30 December 2026; micro and small operators generally from 30 June 2027. Exception: micro and small operators already covered by the old EU Timber Regulation follow the December 2026 date, not the later one.
Downstream operators and traders that are not SMEs must still register in the Information System even when they do not file.
How ERWAY treats it
The deadline tracker asks size, role and timber exposure together so the projected path matches that calendar — including the EUTR carve-out.
Related terms
- Roles & obligations
Operator
The person who first places a relevant product on the EU market, or exports it — and who files the Due Diligence Statement for that placing.
- Roles & obligations
Trader
Makes a relevant product available without first placing it — retains the reference number; non-SME traders must register in the Information System.
- Roles & obligations
Downstream operator
Places on the market a product already covered by upstream diligence — retains the reference number, registers if not an SME, and must act if aware of a substantiated concern.
Keep reading
Regulation & scopeThe EUDR timeline after two delays: where the law stands in 2026
EUDR applies from 30 December 2026 for large and medium operators and 30 June 2027 for micro and small ones. What Regulation (EU) 2025/2650 changed, and what is still only a draft.
6 min read
Roles & obligationsOperator, downstream operator, trader: who files what
How EUDR roles work after Regulation (EU) 2025/2650: who submits a due diligence statement, who retains reference numbers, and who registers without filing.
6 min read