The OCP is a new web-based facility for FSC certificate holders (CHs) to log sales of certified materials and products. The organisation said it would make the process more transparent, rigorous and less vulnerable to abuse and fraud than the current paper-based approach.

However, individual CHs and trade bodies, including the Timber Trade Federation, expressed fears that it would actually add to workloads. Some companies said they might have to dedicate personnel to managing the uploading process.

The FSC was also criticised for not consulting widely enough with the trade and insufficient testing of the new system.

The certification body initially responded that it would be indefinitely postponing the date when registering certification claims on the OCP would be obligatory – originally scheduled for April.

It then launched a consultation with 176 stakeholders. The resulting recommendations were that it extend the OCP implementation timeline, circulate its terms and conditions, conduct an external review on its data security, and test the system further.

FSC’s response is that it will consult with certification bodies (CBs) and CHs "before making any part of the OCP mandatory". A decision on the latter is expected this year, but the current test period for the system could also be extended.

The terms and conditions will also go online in February on the FSC website and the data security review will be complete by the end of March.

When the OCP does become mandatory, CHs will have six months to register and connect to suppliers.

TTF chief executive John White said that the FSC had still not met the trade’s fundamental concerns about the OCP.

"We acknowledge the pause in implementation, but it has still not done anything other than say we will have a look again later without seemingly understanding the need to go back to the drawing board," he said. "Only full free prior and informed discussions with industry will resolve this impasse. Until such time we will continue to advise our members not to engage with the OCP alongside our colleagues in Europe."

The FSC said the OCP has not met with universal opposition.

"While many CHs are critical, others are open to its use," it said. "The OCP can deliver tools in terms of trade regulation and managing volume summaries."

It added that companies can use the system voluntarily from April 1.