MOs’ appointment welcomed

International nonprofit operation NEPCon and Conlegno, a body established by the Italian wood, furniture and cork industry association FederlegnoArredo, are to be congratulated. They are the first service providers recognised by the European Commission (EC) as Monitoring Organisations (MO) for the EU Timber Regulation.

It is a significant achievement as the EC's MO recognition process is very demanding. It is also doubly good news for the European Timber Trade Federation (ETTF), as we have close involvement with both organisations. NEPCon worked with us on the development of our own EUTR-aligned due diligence illegality risk assessment system (DDS) for companies to use across the EU, and the guidelines and tools for this form the basis of Conlegno's own system.

At the same time, it is still a disappointment that the first MOs are only now being recognised, when the EUTR came into force six months ago. Of course the approval process has to be thorough. The MOs' role of establishing a DDS that meets EUTR legality requirements, assisting its implementation by 'operators' (companies which first place timber on the EU market) and then monitoring its use, is very important.

However, while we at the ETTF prepared well in advance, and have focused strongly on supporting and advising members to help them cope with the demands of the EUTR, how much better would it have been if the MOs had also been in place in March to help the EU timber trade through this initial stage, where there is still so much uncertainty around the rules and regulations? We can only now urge the EC to process other MO applications as quickly as possible.

The ETTF also has an issue with regard to the MOs' role. Currently, 'operators' which sign up to use one are also subject to EUTR checks by the Regulation's national enforcement bodies, the Competent Authorities (CA). We believe the EC should leave it to MOs to monitor and manage 'operators' that opt for their services. This would leave the CAs to concentrate their limited resources on companies that go it alone on the EUTR.

? TTJ Industry Updates are a forum for trade bodies to address key issues.