European governments reject stronger legislation on illegal logging

Press release - December 15, 2009
While negotiations to limit the global climate impact of deforestation are underway in Copenhagen, European governments blocked proposals to improve draft legislation to prevent illegal wood and wood products from being placed on the EU market. EU agriculture ministers voting in Brussels today approved a weak political agreement and rejected important amendments put forward by the European Parliament in April.

"While the international community discusses measures to cut global carbon emissions from deforestation in Copenhagen, EU governments in Brussels are opposing measures that could reduce illegal logging and limit Europe's destructive impact on the world's forests," said Sebastien Risso, Greenpeace EU forest policy director. "The Council's position is a slap in the face for the European Parliament. The support by agriculture ministers for profit-driven forestry industry interests could make it impossible for you and I to know if the wood products we buy come from legitimate sources."

The Council has refused to establish a minimum level of penalties and sanctions throughout the EU for non-compliance with the new law. Despite illegal logging being an important driver of deforestation and forest degradation, EU ministers have failed to strengthen a 'due diligence' system by refusing to explicitly prohibit the sale of illegal wood on the EU market.[1] The Council has also ignored proposals by the Parliament to improve the definition of what constitutes legally produced timber, to establish a full chain of custody for timber products and to strengthen the credibility of monitoring organisations. Finally, the Council has also called for a three-year postponement of the application of the legislation.

UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Denmark expressed their disappointment about the Council position and called for a complete ban on illegal timber. France and Luxembourg expressed the need to create a strong and dissuasive regime of sanctions at EU level, but voted in favour of the Council agreement. The Swedish EU presidency, with Finland, Austria and Portugal led efforts to weaken the legislation to please the special interests of the forestry business.

"If Sweden wants the EU to be taken seriously as a climate leader, it must show that it is determined to protect the world's forests and not abuse its position as EU president to please its powerful domestic forestry industry," said Risso.

The European Parliament's second reading of the draft legislation is expected to take place during the first half of 2010, under the Spanish EU presidency.

Notes:

[1] Under the regulation, operators will be required to assess and minimise the risk of illegal wood entering their supply chain by using due diligence systems.

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