Côte d’Ivoire

Legality Due Diligence Tool for Cocoa

In the framework of the EU–Côte d’Ivoire partnership on sustainable cocoa, EFI led the development of a legality due diligence support tool, which was finalised in July 2025. The tool helps operators placing Ivorian cocoa and cocoa products on the EU market comply with the EUDR legality criterion. Developed through a multi-stakeholder and consensus-based process, it identifies relevant national legal requirements to facilitate due diligence, improve access to information, reduce perceived risks and strengthen Côte d’Ivoire’s market position.

The study also examined the role of ARS-1000, Côte d’Ivoire’s mandatory sustainable cocoa certification scheme established by Decree 2022-393 of 8 June 2022, and its relevance for operators’ due diligence. The tool was developed by EFI with the technical support of Preferred by Nature, Mondon Conseil International, Bureau Norme Audit (BNA) and independent expert Yannick Troupah, in close collaboration with the Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC) and other national stakeholders.

Module 1: Legal requirements relevant to cocoa in Côte d’Ivoire – July 2025

Module 2: Due diligence recommendations regarding the legality of cocoa produced in Côte d’Ivoire – July 2025

Legal requirements and due diligence recommendations relating to cocoa produced in Côte d’Ivoire