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
