Bridges Trade BioRes • Volume 9 • Number 2 • 6th February 2009

EU Considers New Approach in Illegal Logging Fight

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EU lawmakers met in Brussels last month to discuss potential new measures aimed at curbing the import and sale of illegal timber in the 27-nation bloc. The proposed legislation, which has been criticised as both too harsh and too lax, would oblige European timber traders to “seek sufficient guarantees” that the products they sell have been legally harvested.

The draft rules are intended to provide new incentives for legal and sustainable forest management, the EU Environment Commission said in a statement. The EU is the world’s largest importer of African timber products and a significant purchaser of Asian and Russian wood as well. Environmental group WWF has estimated that nearly 20 percent of all European timber imports have been illegally harvested.

“Developed and developing nations must unite to protect the world’s remaining forests,” EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said. “We must also send a firm message to timber suppliers that illegal timber or timber products will not be tolerated on the EU market.”

But some European ministers complained at the Brussels meeting that the measures would put too heavy a burden on smaller timber operations.

“Many parts of the regulation are unclear…the proposal and its consequences require more in-depth scrutiny,” Swedish agriculture minister Eskil Erlandsson said.

Dutch agriculture minister Gerda Verburg concurred. “Good enforcement is essential if this proposal is to have any teeth. As it stands now…it is insufficiently clear. Nor is it clear which activities should be regarded as breaches of regulation.”

From across the Atlantic, though, a Canadian forest industry official welcomed the proposed legislation. “We’re absolutely supportive,” said Andrew Casey of the Forest Products Association of Canada. Cracking down on such contraband, which is usually cheaper than legally sourced woods, would level the playing field for Canadian timber in the EU market, Casey said.

For some green groups, however, the proposed measures do not go far enough. Several environmentalists say they would prefer an outright ban on the import and sale of illegal timber, rather than the ‘guidelines’ included in the measures now on the table.

“EU member states must strengthen the Commission proposal if they want to ban illegal timber from the EU market,” Sebastien Risso, Greenpeace EU forest policy director, said recently. “Weak legislation will only favour companies that break the law. It will drive responsible companies that source sustainable wood out of business,” he said.

ICTSD reporting; “European Union plan to hit illegal logging said unclear, costly,” 19 January 2009; “Canadian firms pleased with EU logging crackdown,” CANWEST, 20 January 2009.