A landmark deal was struck between the European Parliament, the EU member states and the European Commission on 16th June that will see the banning of illegally logged timber from the EU market. The legislation is not yet formally in place and Just Forests is calling on the Irish government to support the new legislation governing the trade in timber and wood-based products when it is voted on by the EU Parliament on 6th July.
Illegal logging poses a significant threat to forests as it contributes to the process of
deforestation, which is responsible for about 20% of CO2 emissions, threatens biodiversity and undermines sustainable forest management and development.
The EU is the world’s biggest market for illegal timber. Between 20% and 40% of global industrial wood production is thought to come from illegal sources, with up to 20% of this ending up on EU markets – worth some €1.2 billion. In a key move that goes beyond leaving the burden at the level of due diligence, as member states had initially preferred, companies will have to trace such products and raw timber all the way back to the country and place where the wood was originally harvested.
Most member states in the end backed the bill, with Sweden and Portugal – both major manufacturers of forestry products – mounting the stiffest opposition.
The bill also strengthens bilateral agreements with tropical countries through an EU programme to stop the entry of illegal timber into Europe.
“Ireland has a particular responsibility for deforestation and illegal logging as economic development and consumption in this country is very much dependent upon natural resources from other parts of the world, in particular some of the poorest countries of Africa, Latin America and South East Asia, this is particularly true for timber,” according to Tom Roche, coordinator of Just Forests, who has actively campaigned on this issue for over two decades.
“If this law is passed, illegal timber will be banned from Europe. The world’s largest market is about to shut its gates to companies profiting from illegal trafficking and forest destruction,” said Sebastien Risso, a forests campaigner with Greenpeace. “The black market for wood products is often run by criminals fuelling conflict, robbing governments of revenue and causing irreversible environmental destruction.”
Campaigners did not win everything they had been seeking, however. Green groups lamented that no EU-wide sanction regime was imposed for flouting the law and printed materials, including books, are exempt for another five years.
Most of the logging in tropical and boreal regions focuses on high-value trees that are exported for consumption in Europe and Asia. While China’s import of tropical timber is skyrocketing, only half of it is actually consumed in China, the other half is re-exported to EU countries, like Ireland, in the form of wood products (plywood for hoarding, flooring, furniture, etc) and is often the result of illegal logging.
The law is yet to be officially endorsed by the member states and a full sitting of the parliament.
“We are calling on the Irish government to support this EU-wide ban when it is voted on by the EU Parliament on the 6th of July,” states Roche.
This will be the last step before formally adopting the legislation by the member states.
What is illegal logging?
Illegal logging and the international trade in illegally logged timber is a major problem for many timber-producing countries in the developing world. It causes environmental damage, costs governments billions of dollars in lost revenue, promotes corruption, undermines the rule of law and good governance and funds armed conflict. It retards sustainable development in some of the poorest countries of the world. Consumer countries contribute to these problems by importing timber and wood products without ensuring that they are legally sourced.
In recent years, however, producer and consumer countries alike have paid increasing attention to illegal logging. Consumer countries like Ireland contribute to these problems by importing timber and wood products without ensuring that they are legally sourced through credible third-party verification. Around the world illegal logging, criminal exploitation and trade in forest resources are destroying forest ecosystems, undermining the livelihoods of local communities and depriving governments in transition of much-needed revenue.
It is estimated that *60% of all tropical timber entering the EU is coming from un-managed forests around the world and is illegally logged (*Stern Review).
What is Independent Forest Certification?
The Forest Stewardship Council enables you to buy forest products of all kinds with confidence that you are not contributing to global forest destruction. FSC certified forests are managed to ensure long-term timber supplies while protecting the environment and the lives of forest-dependent peoples. FSC certification can also cover non-timber forest products such as latex and foods. A system of Chain of Custody certification traces forest products through the supply chain to the end-consumer.
Whenever you buy timber or timber products always look for the FSC logo. Everyone uses forest products in their business or daily life, and FSC offers solutions.