PEFC Council re-endorses Austrian certification system
27 October 2006The Austrian forest certification system has gained re-endorsement by the PEFC Council.
The system was analysed by an independent assessor as part of the five-year review process of the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC).
An initial evaluation in 2005 found a number of areas did not comply with
PEFC's international benchmark requirements. But Austrian certification stakeholders fully revised the system before submitting it for a second assessment and international public consultation in June.
Austria's certification scheme has now gained re-endorsement for a second five-year period.
“The periodic revisions and assessments that PEFC endorsed systems must undergo guarantee that all PEFC requirements are continuously and equally implemented into all national standards,” said Ben Gunneberg, secretary-general of the PEFC Council.
To date, seven PEFC-endorsed systems, covering an area of more than 50 million ha of PEFC-certified forests, have undergone national revision processes.
