WWF Welcomes EU Application of Tighter Timber Regulations

Jakarta Globe, Alina Musta’idah, March 05, 2013

A laborer transports timber in Cianjur, West Java in this 2010 file photo.
 The European Union earlier this year gave its full recognition to Indonesian
 timber products that come with a wood certification document based on
the Timber Legality Verification System (SVLK). (JG Photo/Rezza Estily)  

   

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he World Wildlife Fund on Tuesday welcomed the European Union’s implementation of tighter timber regulations aimed at barring the entry of illegal woods and wood products into the markets of its 27 members.

The EU officially began imposing additional controls on its timber product imports under the EU Timber Regulation on Sunday, which seeks to ascertain whether wood products are derived from legal sources.

“The implementation of the EUTR clearly helps conservation efforts in Indonesia. There should be more forestry companies putting into effect good timber management, so that the programs initiated by the Global Forest and Trade Network [GFTN] will become increasingly relevant,” Nazir Foead, the director of conservation with WWF-Indonesia, said.

 

Nazir, however, noted that the EUTR was still only dealing with the legality of products and not whether the products was produced in a sustainable manner.

“The identification and management of high conservation value forests, for example, is not something protected by the EUTR. And although this policy is a positive step, each business practitioner is hoped to implement a green procurement policy,” he said.

The EU earlier this year gave its full recognition to Indonesian timber products that come with a wood certification document based on the Timber Legality Verification System (SVLK).

Indonesia developed the SVLK as part of its commitment to curbing trade in illegally harvested wood. The verification system was effective for Indonesia’s wood exports as of Jan. 1. So far more than 200 companies across Indonesia have sought the certification for their goods for exports.

With the EU’s recognition of the SVLK, the government has said that it hopes its forestry product exports would rise substantially from their current level of $1.2 billion annually, especially since the European Union is one of the main markets for Indonesian forestry products.

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) has estimated that illegal wood products could result in Rp 300 trillion worth of losses. It also said that illegal logging threatened the livelihoods of people living in and around forests, as well as future sustainability.

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