On 3 March, new legislation comes into effect to counter the trade in illegal timber. The new EU Timber regulation 995/2010 EU will affect everyone in the wood trade. It prohibits the placing of illegally harvested timber on the European market in an effort to tackle the problem of illegal logging across the world. Illegal logging has severe economic, environmental and social impacts: it is associated with deforestation and climate change, it can undermine the efforts and livelihoods of legitimate operators, and it can also contribute to conflicts over land and resources.
The new law affects both imported and domestically produced timber and timber products, and it covers an extensive range of products, from paper and pulp to solid wood and flooring. The aim is to put in place procedures to minimise the risk of illegal wood being traded. Anyone who first places a timber product on the EU market must apply "due diligence" to ensure that the wood they are trading 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.
Legislation with similar objectives has been adopted by the US and Australia, thus the EU will be adding its weight to a global effort to eliminate illegal logging and associated trade.
Full details here http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-175_en.htm
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