Trussed rafter fabricators face easy EUTR compliance
23 March 2013Timber Trade Federation (TTF) chief executive John White has told the trussed rafter manufacturing sector that it should find the new EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) straightforward to comply with.
"Most trussed rafter manufacturers will fall into the 'trader' category," he said.
This requires fabricators to keep a record of who they buy timber from and who they sell to. Only those companies classed as 'operators' (typically importers) who place the timber on the EU market for the first time, have to have a due diligence system in place.
The only situation where he envisaged potential timber legality issues was TR26 timber from Russia, although there is believed to be either none or very little of this material currently in use in the UK.
But, Mr White added, many housebuilders weren't interpreting the EUTR requirements correctly.
"Housebuilders have been sending letters to TTF members demanding evidence of compliance with the EUTR."
One TRA member said he had received one such letter with a list of questions and asking if he had an auditor in place.
"It's a complete misunderstanding of what the EUTR requests," said Mr White. "The EUTR is quite easy to meet [for trussed rafter fabricators] but do think about it."
