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Chennai, India, June 26: The European Forest Institute’s (EFI) conducted a workshop on the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) on 26 June 2013 at Taj Club House, Chennai in association with Wood Products Exporters Association (WPEA), Chennai and Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH). The objective of the workshop was to create awareness among the wood products manufacturers and exporters, including wooden handicrafts exporters on the new regulation. The EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) came into force on March 3 this year and requires operators and traders dealing with timber and timber products in all 27 member states of the European Union (EU) to ensure that the wood they place on the market is sourced legally from the country of harvest. Under the EUTR, European operators who import wood products from India and place these on the market for the first time are required to exercise ‘due diligence’ to minimise the risk of illegal timber entering their supply chain. The meeting was attended by wood products manufactures and exporters. The resource persons and speakers included Ms Aimi Lee Abdullah, Policy Analyst, European Forest Institute, Dr T R Manoharan, Consultant- European Forest Institute and Forest Stewardship Council National Representative for India, Mr Arvind M Singh IFS, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Govt of India. During the inaugural session Dr T R Manoharan, Consultant- European Forest Institute and Forest Stewardship Council National Representative for India said "EU Timber Regulation provides several opportunities to Indian Industry. However, the awareness on such opportunities is still low" Ms Aimi Lee, Policy Analyst, European Forest Institute said "Industry can play a role to address the regulation but the role of Government is important" Indian exporters of wood products to Europe will inevitably be affected by the new regulation, which the European Union introduced to tackle illegal logging in the world’s forests, and the economic, environmental and social damage it entails. Mr A M Singh added that "We require a set of procures in the country to address the effects of EU Timber Regulation" Although the onus of compliance is on the first placers on the EU Market and European traders, the trickledown effect of the new legislation will be felt in every country that exports wood and wood products to Europe. Exporters in India who want to continue to do business with EU have to make sure that they have adequate information to support the regulatory requirements of the importers in Europe. The EU is one of the biggest trading partners for India, with annual trade in goods and services of US$ 110 billion and the EU is the largest market for India's wood products. The exports of timber products covered by the EUTR are worth US$1.2 billion. These include wood products such as furniture, paper and paper products, handicrafts, plywood and veneer.
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Wood Products Exporters, EUTR, Timber regulation, handicrafts, timber traders, European Forest Institute, wood based industry, Export Promotion Counci,
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