Tuesday, February 17, 2009

EU proposes stricter laws against illegal timber



The EU's Environment Committee has voted in favour of measures to reduce the amount of illegal logging - the main cause of deforestation.

In the first codecision reading, 54 out of 56 committee members voted for a set of stricter laws, which aim to keep illegal timber off the EU market.

It was recommended that all timber operators be required to provide information about the country and forest of origin of their product to improve timber traceability.

Offenders would be subject to "immediate corrective measures", including the seizure of timber, and could be forced to cease trading.

Financial penalties would take into account the level of environmental damage caused, say MEPs, and must represent "at least five times the value of the timber products obtained." In the case of repeat offences, the penalties would increase.

The committee also asked that extra attention be given to "high-risk" timber from "countries where there is consistent and reliable information regarding significant failures of forest law governance," or a "high level of corruption".

A suggested proposal to exempt timber used for biomass was deleted on the grounds that all illegally-sourced timber should be included without exception.

Illegal logging causes deforestation, loss of biodiversity and contributes to climate change. According to Greenpeace, 60 - 80 per cent of logging in the Brazilian Amazon is illegal.

The plenary vote will be held in April.

For more information on illegal logging and its effect on the environment, visit illegal-logging.info or greenpeace.org.

Source: European Parliament


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