FLEGT Week 2015: Demand-side measures to reduce illegal timber trade, the Report

Demand-side measures to reduce illegal timber trade

Lessons learned from the EU FLEGT Action Plan and ways forward

Wednesday 18 March, from 9:00 to 12:30

Highlights

• Demand-side measures are transforming the global market place in support of legal timber trade.
• The EU market provides a trade incentive to change behavior of the timber sector. However, closer cooperation among EU, Australia, China, Japan, USA and other consumer markets is needed to reduce trade in illegal timber more effectively at the global level. 
• Greater consistency and alignment is needed among EU member states in the development and implementation of procurement policies. 
• Demand-side measures must take into account the wider context and what is achievable on the supply side. The support provided to the supply side through Voluntary Partnership Agreements and the recognition of FLEGT licences within the EU Timber Regulation is a good example of the type of approach that is needed.
• Tropical timber is perceived as risky. Measures to encourage a more discerning market may have the unintended impact of perpetuating a negative image of tropical hardwoods. Exposing illegality while at the same time encouraging the use of legal and sustainable tropical timber remains challenging. A more concerted effort is needed to change these perceptions. 

Featuring

Moderator Laura Furones, EU FLEGT Facility

Speakers

• Emily Unwin, ClientEarth
• Thorsten Hinrichs, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food
• Robert Busink, Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs
• Meriam Wortel, Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority
• Jie Chen, State Forestry Administration
• Christian Sloth, NEPCon
• Kate Horner, Environmental Investigation Agency
• Jane Feehan, European Investment Bank
• Rupert Oliver, ITTO

Reporters Clare Brogan, Laura Furones, Thomas de Francqueville

Keywords EUTR, Lacey Act, Procurement, Enforcement, Trade

Read the full report and see the slideshow on the FLEGT Week website.