The European Timber Trade Association (FEBO) has expressed its “fundamental misgivings” at the shape of draft legislation which will go before the European Parliament on April 23.
FEBO president Franz-Josef Kall wrote a letter to parliament members before the important first reading of the draft in Strasbourg.
Mr Kall said FEBO supported legislation to support the fight against illegally felled timber products but amendments made by the parliament’s environment committee in February significantly altered the original draft from the European Commission last year and would “seriously hinder the international trade with timber”.
Objections include a draft stipulation for European timber imports to meet both legal and sustainable criteria, as well as labelling with products to show species, value and forest of origin.
FEBO said including information on value was “completely superfluous” to assessing the risk of timber illegality and could be used anti-competitively.
The organization also criticised the nature of corrective measures in the draft, such as immediate cessation of commercial activities and seizure of timber products at companies where product illegality is suspected.
“Such a proposal would mean that operators could be judged guilty before trial, thereby breaching a fundamental principle of law,” said FEBO.
“Also, should the action prove subsequently wrong, the potential liability for damages would be enormous as these powers, if exercised, would effectively close down a business.”
