WWF has called on the EU to tackle “widespread” illegal logging in Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia.
Three new reports released by the environmental group claim that up to 45% of Bulgaria’s total harvest is illegal, with the annual allowable cut being exceeded by 1.5 million m3.
WWF estimates Slovakia’s illegal harvest to be as high as 10%, exceeding the annual allowable cut by up to 16.8%. But the group says it cannot estimate Romania’s level of illegal logging due to gaps in government statistics.
The group wants EU institutions to assist the new EU member states through capacity building measures and financial support, similar to the FLEGT action plan on illegal logging.
WWF forest policy officer Beatrix Richards said: “If the EU is to be consistent in its efforts to tackle illegal logging, then it must deal with the problem not only in tropical areas, but within its own borders as well as in accession countries.”
WWF says illegal harvesting in the countries is caused by fraudulent use of permits, false registration of expensive wood to avoid taxes, false records about felling volumes and evasion of controls.
