FSC makes changes to comply with EU Timber Regulation

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is developing a due diligence system to enable certificate holders to fully meet the requirements of the EU Timber Regulation.

FSC said it would also make changes to align its standards with the regulation, including changes to certain elements of FSC Controlled Wood, Forest Management and FSC Chain of Custody standards.

The EU Timber Regulation, which comes into force in 2013, criminalises the import of illegal timber products into the EU and requires companies that are the first to place products on the market to implement a due diligence system to minimise the risk of illegal timber being supplied.

FSC said the regulation does not automatically qualify FSC or any other forest certification schemes as compliant with its requirements, so it was up to FSC to demonstrate its compliance.

“FSC certificate holders are in most cases not working with FSC-certified materials exclusively,” it said. “So they need a system that also covers the rest of their timber products inputs. FSC is developing a due diligence system that will help them for that remaining part as well.”

FSC’s due diligence system would benefit from the same integrity bestowed on it as full FSC certification and Controlled Wood, through the application of third-party verification. It would also serve as a driver for a much wider range of products to move from legal to responsible forest management.

The due diligence system is planned to be operational by the end of 2012.

A minor review of the FSC Controlled Wood standard will be conducted by the end of 2011, with any non-controlled component eliminated from FSC-certified products. FSC will also release an advice note on legality for forest management certification.