Timber
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The European Timber Regulation - Who needs it?
by Jim Coulson, Director, TFT Woodexperts Limited
There have been a lot of articles in the ‘mainstream’ trade press about the European Union Timber Regulation - or EUTR; and I thought it was time I addressed some of the more misleading statements that have been made about it. (If you’ve not even heard of the EUTR - don’t worry too much, since it is unlikely to affect anyone further down the supply chain than the importer or distributor of wood-based materials.)
The EUTR came into force at the beginning of March this year, with very little ‘fanfare’: even though it had been expected for a year before that. Essentially, what it is, is a requirement for those who place wood-derived products of any sort onto the market within the EU, to show that the timber has been obtained ‘legally’ (however that concept may be defined!). The regulation uses the rather off phrase, ‘First Placer on the Market’ - but all this really means is the company or individual who actually offers something for sale for the first time, rather than re-selling it or trading it on. That is why, so far as most timber and plywood, etc as used in the construction industry - including of course flooring products - there are unlikely to be any additional demands placed upon the users of such things: they are simply too far down the Chain of Supply to fall into the EUTR’s net. But that is where the confusion has been creeping in.
It has been - wrongly - stated in certain quarters that everyone who buys or sells anything containing wood must have something called a ‘Due Diligence’ system in place, to prove that they have not been buying anything illegal. But that is not the case. A ‘Due Diligence’ system is required, by that oddly-titled ‘First Placer’: but not by anybody else further down the Chain. So Mr Builder, Mr Joiners or Mr Flooring Contractor will only need to ask the question (if they even wish to do so) of the place where they are buying their goods, “Are these covered by the correct EUTR paperwork?”
A lot of unnecessary hassle has been caused by main contractors that their ‘subbies’ have their own ‘Due Diligence’ paperwork trails in place, just to ‘prove’ they are buying ‘legal’ wood products - but that is nonsense, and it is not the intention of the EUTR and never has been. All that paperwork should have been done by the importer or supplier (whoever is the ‘First Placer on the Market’, remember). So you can therefore just get on with your job.
www.woodexperts.com
The EUTR starts with taking the logs out of the forest and proving that they are legal Reader Enquiry: 35 01765 601010
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