EUDR compliance is often equated with only one deliverable: the due diligence statement (DDS) submitted in the EU Information System TRACES. But the DDS is only the visible output of a wider due diligence system, and it is the system that authorities can inspect. Operators must be able to show how they collected information, assessed and mitigated risk, and verified that each plot was deforestation-free and legally produced, and to explain the rationale behind each of those decisions. They must also keep the evidence and produce it on request. Best-in-class compliance therefore goes well beyond filing: it means a documented process, traceable material flows, plot-level legality checks, and the ability to respond when third parties raise concerns about a supply chain.