Illegal logging legislation rubber stamped

European illegal timber legislation was rubber stamped by the European Council this week and UK timber importers will have to ready for implementation in 2012.

The Timber Trade Federation (TTF) welcomed the news as “great” and the correct result after many years of hard work.

“We now we have 27 months to address implementation, which actually isn’t that far away when you start to take into account lead times,” said TTF head of sustainability Rachel Butler.

“The concern is now those member states and companies that have not started the process: however, as far as the UK TTF is concerned, members will be ready as we are in the process of implementing our due diligence obligations.”

Only Sweden voted against the regulation at a meeting in Brussels on October 12, with the Czech Republic and Portuguese delegations abstaining from voting.

The regulation states that importers who place products on the market have to exercise a due diligence system, which includes access to information, risk assessment and mitigation of the risk identified. This will include supplying information on the country of harvest, species, quantity, and where applicable, the sub-national region of harvest and forest concession.

Importers who already operate similar due diligence systems will not be required to set up new procedures.

Traders in the supply chain will be required to provide basic information on their suppliers and their buyers to enable traceability of the timber.

EU member states are expected to draw up a list of penalties for non-compliance. The regulation allows for immediate interim measures for companies suspected of placing illegal wood products on the markets, including seizure of timber products and prohibition of marketing of timber products by the company involved.