Environment minister Elliot Morley has invited comments and suggestions on improving the government’s method for assessing evidence of legal and sustainable forest management.
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is running an on-line consultation exercise until March 18 examining the Central Point of Expertise on Timber‘s (CPET) criteria and guidance on interpretation for forest certification schemes. This includes Category A evidence and other forms of assurance (Category B).
Guidance for interpreting the criteria was amended recently to allow the practical implementation of certification schemes to be examined in addition to their documentation.
Defra says establishing the credibility of suppliers’ claims is crucial to successfully implementing the government’s policy on procuring legal and sustainable timber.
