The European Commission has now launched its public consultation on the review of the EU Timber Regulation.
The consultation is open until 3 July 2015, and BWF members can either respond directly or send their views through to matthew.mahony@bwf.org.uk by Monday 22nd June.
The Commission will consider both the responses to this exercise and the responses from Member State Governments before developing any proposals.
The EU Timber Regulation puts obligations on those who trade in timber and some timber products to help ensure that the wood has been legally sourced. For more information, the BWF has written 'an easy guide to the EUTR', which members can download for free from the BWF website. The guide gives answers to many of the frequently asked questions on the Regulation, including:
‘What products does the regulation cover?’
‘What do I have to do to comply with the regulation?’
‘What are the penalties?’
‘Will achieving Chain of Custody certification help me comply with the regulation?’
We have launched a template due diligence system that BWF members who will be first to place wood based products on the EU market can use before buying their products, in order to help them comply with the regulation.
The documentation comes in 6 parts and can be downloaded here: www.bwf.org.uk/publications/environmental-and-waste-management