As its latest review on the first two years of EUTR reveals, the European Commission main concern is that member states need to put more effort into implementing and enforcing the EUTR. Human and financial resources, in particular, should be increased to raise the number and quality of checks on operators. Moreover, there should be additional efforts to inform operators, especially SMEs, about their obligations and cost-effective possibilities of carrying out due diligence.
The Commission says it will continue to provide guidance and facilitate communication between member states, with the ultimate aim to achieve uniform implementation and enforcement of the Regulation. The Commission says it may also consider expanding the product scope. On the other hand, it sees no occasion for changing the substantive provisions of the EUTR, as “the evaluation did not identify a clear need for changes in the core elements of the legislation”.
Industry echoes call for EUTR enforcement
During a meeting with the EU Environment Commission in November last year representatives of the EU timber industry and NGOs joined forces and called for the EUTR to be more stringently enforced.
This meeting followed a statement organised by WWF last September, which was signed by more than 65 companies and seven industry associations.
This statement urged the Commission to expand the scope of the Regulation, claiming that less than 50% of the EU’s wood product imports are currently covered. It also called for uniform implementation and enforcement of the EUTR in all Member States.
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