Brussels, 01/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Sunday 3 March, the new regulation, which bans the marketing in the EU of timber illegally harvested in breach of the law of countries of origin, will come into force. The regulation applies not only to the timber itself but also to timber-derived products, such as paper and wood pulp produced in or imported into the EU. The procedures imposed by the regulation are to be respected by all operators in the wood and timber sector. The legislation aims to minimise the risk of illegal logging across the world as this has serious economic, environmental and social consequences, given that it contributes to deforestation and to climate change (forests being carbon sinks). Illegal logging can also undermine the efforts and livelihoods of legitimate operators and contribute to conflicts over land and resources.
Anyone who places a timber product on the EU market for the first time must apply “due diligence” to ensure that the wood being traded is legal. Traders who buy or sell timber already on the market are required to keep adequate records so that the wood they deal in can be easily traced.
Operators must have access to information concerning timber and timber products, the country where the wood is harvested, the quantity, the details of the supplier, as well as information on compliance with national legislation. They must assess the risks of illegal timber in their supply chain, based on the information identified above and taking into account criteria set out in the regulation. When the assessment shows that there is a risk of illegal timber in the supply chain, that risk can be mitigated by requiring additional information and verification from the supplier.
Timber and timber products accompanied by a FLEGT authorisation (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) or a CITES permit (the convention on the international trade of wild fauna and flora threatened with extinction) are considered to be in line with the requirements of the regulation. The EU has concluded bilateral agreements for a voluntary partnership - FLEGT with the Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Liberia and Indonesia, which are major timber producing countries. The voluntary partnership agreements ensure that only legally harvested timber and its derived products can be legally exported to the European market (seeEUROPE 10230). (AN/transl.jl)