The European Woodworking Industries are greatly concerned regarding information disclosed about the EU Deforestation-Free Products Regulation (EUDR) in a recent article in the Financial Times. (Download the open statement)

According to the article, the EU intends to delay the application of the much-needed risk-based approach – practically implemented via a risk benchmarking of producing countries (low, standard, and high risk) – which is essential for enabling compliance with the EUDR by market actors (operators, traders, importers, exporters, and their authorised representatives) and the competent authorities of the EU Member States (CAs), as well as for incentivising good practices in producing countries (EU Member States or third countries).
Instead, all countries will now apparently be designated as “standard risk” in order to “give them more time to adapt” to the new Regulation. It is crucial to understand that the benchmarking of countries is a central part of the EUDR and its implementation, and any delays related to this
classification will only result in additional costs and administrative burden for market actors, without any real advantages either for the producing countries or for the CAs.

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The European Woodworking Industries fully support the scope and the objectives of the EUDR and strongly oppose all forms of deforestation and forest degradation. At the same time, the European Woodworking Industries regret that the EUDR has become a huge administrative and regulatory monster.
In the light of all the above, the European Woodworking Industries urge the EU institutions to delay the entry into application of the EUDR for the operators and traders , to amend the EUDR in order to eliminate unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles and to provide actors with sufficient time to adapt for full and adequate compliance.
Moreover, it is imperative that the EU Commission swiftly proceed with the classification of the low risk countries, with this action being its main priority.

Signatories:
CEI-Bois – The European Confederation of Woodworking Industries –
Transparency register n° 470333818389-37
EFIC: European Furniture Industries Confederation –
Transparency Register n° 95910795422-52
EOS – European Organisation of the Sawmill industry –
Transparency register n° 024776016336-52
EPF- European Panel Federation –
Transparency register n°: 572064811767-22
ETTF – European Timber Trade Federation –
Transparency register n° 151485550468-20
FEP- European Federation of the Parquet industry –
Transparency Register n° 294492727880-53