The Confederation of Paper Industries is calling for an extension of the EU Timber Regulation to cover printed material being imported into the EU.
Currently most printed material is exempt, meaning that while paper being imported from the Americas, Asia or Africa must show that it has been made from legally sourced fibre, it remains legal to import finished goods that may include non-conforming fibres.
The EUTR came into force in 2013 and now a consultation on its implementation and impact tho date has closed. This will lead to a review, including the potential of correcting what appear to be anomalies in the first draft.
The CPI says: “The current scheme excludes from regulation printed products such as books, magazines and other products of the printing industry. EUTR enabling legislation requires product coverage to be reviewed to take into account the current economic trade situation; The opportunity should be taken to remove this anomaly.
“While this exemption has never been sensible, the quickly growing imports of printed materials from potentially problematic areas means the loophole should be closed as quickly as possible.” It adds that imports into the EU from China have more than doubled in the last ten years and that the UK has been the largest importing state.
This is an issue because China is one of three countries along with Thailand and Vietnam named as major importers of illegally logged timber by Chatham House, the independent policy institute that monitors international relations. In a report published last month (Tackling Illegal Logging and the Related Trade), it points out that importing wood chips for pulp production is a major issue. “This reflects not only the large volume of this trade but also the fact that illegal forest conversion accounts for a significant proportion of such products,” the report states.
The growth in trade with some of these countries has led to a growth in illegal imports of pulp and paper, especially from countries like Indonesia where there are relatively high levels of illegality in timber sourcing. Chatham House believes that illegal logging accounts for 60% of timber in Indonesia.
However the authorities are taking action. The Indonesian Timber Legality Verification System has been applied to pulp and paper since this year and similar action is being taken in other countries. But the report points out that once processed it becomes more difficult to trace timber and ensure its legality. Indonesian authorities are working with bodies responsible for implementing EUTR.
In its a four-point call for improvements to the EUTR, the CPI points out that implementation across the EU has “lacked consistency”. The UK via the National Measurement Office has been proactive while this approach “has not been mirrored in all Member States”.
An EU survey last year gave highest scores to Finland and the UK while Hungary and Spain scored 0 and France, Ireland and Italy were among those scoring 1. “France has made slowest progress, only designating the body responsible in 2015,” says Chatham House, examining the progress made in three countries. Even the UK and Netherlands, which score highly, are constrained by lack of resources.
The CPI also wants greater recognition for independent certification schemes like FSC and PEFC which have adapted their processes to bring their requirements closer to EUTR and promote sustainability.
The fourth improvement would be greater alignment with legislation in other countries, naming the Lacey Act in the US and the Illegal Logging Prohibition Regulation in Australia.
To date there have been no prosecutions under legislation following the EUTR. However, some are likely as there are reports that some importers are falling short of their due diligence obligations.
Two years on from the introduction of the EU Timber Regulations, there is disappointment about the speed of implementation by some of the states in the EU. And there is a call to extend the regulation to apply to printed products that are imported into the EU.
