Government buying of timber makes up 19% of the EU’s annual GDP, which amounted to €2,100 billion in 2009. Source: The Information Daily
Public authorities are major timber consumers, so a working knowledge of the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) – which came into force in March – is a must.
The EUTR aims to stop illegally logged timber being sold in the EU, by regulating the list of timber and timber products, whether harvested in the EU or beyond, sold within Europe.
Government buying policies can play an important role in addressing illegal logging.
Good policy can enshrine responsible buying and seek to influence and improve patterns of timber production.
Several countries in Europe and beyond have recognised this potential and introduced policies that require timber to be legal and/or sustainable, long before binding legislation on timber legality was introduced with the EUTR.
The UK government has led from the front, making legal timber a requirement of public procurement policy since 2000 and insisting that the timber it buys be logged legally and come from sustainably managed forests.
With the EUTR in force, public authorities need to be aware of what this means for them and how the EUTR relates to existing procurement policies.
They should be familiar with its requirements as well as how its scope is more limited compared to some procurement schemes, and consider the differences in evidencing legality of timber under the EUTR and procurement schemes.
Against this background, public procurers should be aware of the following three things in particular.
Some timber products sold in the EU might still be illegal
1. The EUTR aims to stop illegal timber entering the EU market. While it applies to a wide range of timber and timber products, it does not cover everything public authorities might purchase. For example, it does not apply to office chairs and books. Buyers should therefore carefully assess whether the EUTR applies to their shopping list and be sure they comply with its terms.
2. Third-party certified timber is not automatically legal under the EUTR Some procurement policies recognise voluntary certification as a way to prove legality or sustainability. However, certified timber is not automatically considered legal under the EUTR. While certification may be used as a tool to obtain information or lower the risk of purchasing illegal timber, it is ultimately for those who first place timber on the EU market (which can include public authorities) to judge whether it really is legal.
3. Legal timber is not necessarily sustainable. Some public procurement schemes require timber to be come from sustainable sources. For example, for timber to meet the sustainability requirement of the UK timber procurement policy, it must satisfy various criteria, including coming from a forest which is managed so as to limit harm to the ecosystem and ensures biodiversity is maintained.
The EUTR focuses on legality, not sustainability. This means timber which is legal according to the EUTR is not necessarily sustainable as required by procurement policies in the UK.
The EUTR most impacts those first placing timber on the EU market. Known as the Operator, they are required to gather information on the timber and assess the risk that it has been illegally logged.
Public authorities should know whether they are considered an Operator under the EUTR, or whether they buy timber further down the supply chain, in which case they only have record keeping responsibilities.
