Feedback period: 03 September 2020 – 26 November 2020  (midnight Brussels time)

Introduction: The EU Timber Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 995/2010) aims to reduce illegal logging by prohibiting EU operators from placing illegally harvested timber and derived timber products on the EU market, thus requiring EU operators who place timber and timber products on the EU market for the first time to exercise due diligence. The Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005) has been adopted as a supply side measure; it establishes the FLEGT licensing scheme for imports of timber from non-EU countries with which the EU has concluded Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs). As both regulations are closely related, the Commission is carrying out a common fitness check to evaluate the functioning of both the EU Timber Regulation and the FLEGT Regulation. The fitness check will look at the effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, relevance and EU added value of both regulations in contributing to the fight against illegal logging. This consultation process is aimed at gathering the views of the concerned public and of a wide range of relevant stakeholders to help inform the Commission whether the EU Timber Regulation and the FLEGT Regulation are fit for purpose.

Further information: HERE