New report says Belarusian timber entering EU via Poland to beat sanctions

The report, conducted by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Schemes project, Gazeta Wyborcza, and the Belarusian Investigative Centre (BIC), was released at the end of March and follows recent news of the European Commission imposing duties on Russian birch plywood products entering the EU through Kazakhstan and Turkey.

In the latest report, BIC says Belarusian exports reached a record high in 2023, the highest in over a decade – which it says was “partly due to schemes to circumvent Western sanctions”.

BIC says before the imposition of sanctions in 2022, Belarus exported 60,000m3 of sawn timber per month. This, it added, increased to 77,000m3 in 2023, quoting Belarus government figures. 

While China has become a bigger export destination for Belarus wood exports since the sanctions started, a sizeable and increased quantity is also sent to Azerbaijan.

BIC also referenced “tens of millions of euros” worth of timber of Belarusian origin it says were imported into the EU disguised as products from Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan. 

Its new investigation shows the EU border is still open for restricted Belarusian goods and claims it was provided with more than 40 supply contracts worth millions of euros. This, it says, is despite the EU stepping up customs controls and partially closing the smuggling route. 

“Imports of timber allegedly originating from Kyrgyzstan to Europe in 2023 were down by almost 50%,” it said. “But there was little change in the supplies from Kazakhstan.”

BIC says exports of wood from Kazakhstan to the EU show growth to a record of almost €126m in 2023.

It says the largest share of deliveries to the EU goes through Poland. Imports into Poland increased almost fivefold last year compared to 2022, from €14m to almost €68m, it added.

The increase has been noted by the Polish Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the Wood Industry.

BIC reports that offers for wood products are being made at abnormally low prices or for species indicating Russian origin, such as Siberian larch.

Sources in the forest products industry provided BIC with documents that the latter says were likely forged.

The documents, it claims, show that palisades often used for fencing were shipped from Kazakhstan to Europe in February 2023. This transaction was part of a shipment apparently worth around €1m.