On 10th November 2008 the European Timber Trade Association (Febo) held a Parliamentary Evening in Brussels in co-operation with the Representation of the State of Hessen to the Eu. The European Parliament, the European Commission, sectoral federations as well as business were well-represented on the evening to discuss current issues of importance to the branch.
One of the issues currently being dealt with by Febo is the timber trade’s responsibility to the forest and to the environment. Febo supports sustainable forest management and condemns illegal felling of timber as well as the trade in illegal wood. In 2005 Febo passed an Environmental Code of Conduct which obliges its members to source legal timber products from sustainably managed forests and which condemns the practice of illegal-felling and related trade unreservedly.
On behalf of Febo, Rudolf Luers, Ceo of the German Timber Trade Federation (GD Holz), welcomed the Eu Commission’s proposal of a regulation published in October to fight illegal logging.
Maria Pachta, representing the European Commission, underlined the reasons for the additional measures proposed by the Eu. The Voluntary Partnership Agreements with major timber supplying countries as set out in the Flegt. Action Plan are moving slowly, some have not been verified. Up to now, only Ghana has signed a Vpa with the Eu. Further important countries are missing on the list. The aim of the new measures is to avoid the risk of “placing illegally harvested timber on the European market”. Criteria for risk management have not yet been defined.
In his evaluation of the overall political question, Dr. Luers pointed out that whilst focussing on the fight against illegal felling, the most important target – namely the sustainability of our forests – must not be forgotten. 90 percent of forests across the globe remain uncertified. Here Dr. Luers sees urgent need for action.
