Brussels, 08/07/2010 (Agence Europe) - Determined to put a brake on deforestation in the world, the Parliament confirmed on 7 July, in Strasbourg, that the European Union should close its doors to illegal timber and products made from such timber. An overwhelming majority of MEPs (644 votes for, 25 against and 16 abstentions) voted along the lines of Satu Hassi (Greens, Finland), who took up the torch on this issue (after the original rapporteur, former MEP Caroline Lucas). During the night of 6 to 7 July, they approved the second reading compromise reached with Council on 16 June on the proposal for a regulation which will ban the sale of illegal timber in the EU and make it an obligation for timber operators to abide by traceability rules throughout the supply chain, in order to guarantee the origin of the wood, with the possibility of national sanctions against offenders (see details in EUROPE 10162). It will then be up to the EU Council to confirm the text of the compromise negotiated with Parliament so that the regulation may be formally adopted after the summer break. It is foreseen that entry into force of the regulation will be two years later.
The Parliament's vote was hailed by Satu Hassi as an “internationally important breakthrough” given that forests are devastated everywhere in the world by the unlawful timber trade with wood harvested coming to the EU where illegal timber products are sold. She said such strict rules could not have been reached without the European Parliament's strong support.
Sandrine Bélier (Greens/EFA, France) felt the vote brings an end to a long period of hypocrisy. She went on to point out that, until then, the EU had constantly denounced an activity that remains one of the main causes of deforestation, while continuing to give illegal timber access to one the largest markets it the world.
In a press release, European Environment Commissioner Janez Potoènik states: “Illegal logging often causes serous environmental damage and undermines the efforts of those who are trying to manage forests responsibly. That is why the Commission proposed to regulate timber products, with the aim of preventing the sale of illegal timber, or products made from such timber, on the EU market. The Parliament's vote today brings us a lot closer to remedying this situation”. The Commissioner adds that, along with these new rules, “the EU will continue to engage with countries wishing to strengthen forest governance, in particular, through FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) voluntary partnership agreements”. He is pleased that the “draft regulation recognises the efforts of countries entering into such agreements with the EU”.
Friends of the Earth Europe (FOEE) and Greenpeace International, which have campaigned for this legislation for over 10 years, have welcomed this great stride forward for the forests of the world and for the native peoples who depend on these forests. The NGOs regret, however, that no minimum penalties against anyone breaking the new rules were set at European level and that printed material, such as paper, is excluded from the scope of the legislation. (A.N./transl.jl/rt)