EU Timber Regulation

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EU Timber Regulation
Start date:	03/03/2013
Scope:	European Union
Policy area:	Forest and forestry
Legal status:	Legally binding
Type of instrument:	Regulatory
Form of instrument:	Regulation
Language:	English
URL:	EU Timber Regulation website
Format:	html
Access:	Free
Publisher:	EC DG Environment
Country(ies):	Belgium
Date:	04/05/2011

The European Union (EU) Timber Regulation (Regulation No 995-2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 October 2010 laying down the obligations of operators who place timber and timber products on the market) is part of the EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) action plan. It counters the trade in illegally harvested timber and timber products through three key obligations:

• It prohibits the placing on the EU market for the first time of illegally harvested timber and products derived from such timber
• It requires EU traders who place timber products on the EU market for the first time to exercise 'due diligence'
• Keep records of their suppliers and customers.

Objective	To prevent and combat trade in illegally harvested wood and the continuation of the active participation of the Union and of the Member States in the implementation of global and regional resolutions and agreements on forest-related issues.
Target	Illegally harvested timber
Policy and/or legal framework	EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT)
Monitoring, assessing and reporting	Due Diligence System, Monitoring organisations, Competent authorities
Linkage(s) to policy processes, instruments and institutions	FLEGT, UNFCCC, CITES
Keywords	Timber market, European Union, illegal timber logging, international trade

FOREST EUROPE criteria	FOREST EUROPE indicators	ToSIA indicators
Socio-economic functions	Trade in wood	Trade balance