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FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE
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FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE
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Home | A-Z Index | Mission | Staff | FAS Offices in the EU | Euro Exchange Rates |
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Finding EU Legislation | Links to EU & US Websites | Tips for Travelers |
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Illegal logging
On June 16,
2010 a
deal was made between the European Parliament, the EU Member States
(MS) and the Commission that will lead to a ban of illegal timber in the
EU starting 2012.
The
agreement covers raw timber and wood products like furniture and floor
boards. Printed materials such as books and newspapers are exempted for
at least five years.
Companies will have to trace products and
raw timber to the country and location the wood was originally harvested
in. The parties could not agree on fines and sanctions for companies who
break the rules so it will be up to each MS to decide how severe
penalties should be.
The Parliament had a second reading on the
draft regulation in July and the final act in the Council is scheduled
for October 25, 2010.
Another EU
initiative is
Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT)
which calls for the Commission to negotiate
Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VAP) with countries experiencing
illegal logging. Once these VAPs have been signed all EU imports from
these countries must have a legally logged certificate. The VAP’s are
based on what is legal in the producer countries so criteria can differ.
The EU has signed VAP’s with Ghana, the Republic of Congo and Cameroon
and negotiations are ongoing with Central African Republic, Indonesia,
Liberia and Malaysia. |