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Summaries of EU Legislation

Combating illegal logging

Combating illegal logging

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 on the obligations of operators who place timber and timber products on the market

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 prohibits illegally harvested timber from being placed on the EU market, and sets out preconditions for the marketing of timber and timber products in the EU.

KEY POINTS

  • The regulation requires ‘operators’ who place timber products on the European Union (EU) market for the first time to exercise ‘due diligence’1 to ensure they supply products made of legally harvested timber. To this end, operators must use a due diligence system.
  • Operators may set up their own due diligence systems or use one created by a monitoring organisation.
  • Monitoring organisations are recognised as such by the European Commission. Their role is to assist operators comply with the requirements of the regulation.
  • To facilitate the traceability of timber products, all traders who buy and sell timber on the market must keep records of their suppliers and customers.
  • The regulation, which applies both to EU-harvested and imported timber, covers a wide range of timber products that are listed in the annex and are in accordance with the Union Customs Code.
  • The regulation considers timber/timber products to be legally harvested if they have a Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licence (established with Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005), or a CITES permit (Regulation (EC) No 338/97).

Monitoring of implementation and access to information

At the latest by 30 April of each year, countries covered by the regulation must make available to the public and the European Commission information on the application of this regulation during the previous calendar year. The Commission will also make available to the public a EU-wide overview on the basis of the data submitted by all EU Member States.

By and every 5 years thereafter, the Commission must review the functioning and effectiveness of this regulation on the basis of the information received each year and the experience with its application.

Repeal

The regulation will be repealed and replaced by Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 (see summary) as of . However, the regulation shall continue to apply until to timber and timber products that were produced before and placed on the market from .

BACKGROUND

Illegal logging2 is a pervasive environmental, economic and social problem that contributes to climate change, the loss of biodiversity, lost revenue, conflicts (sometimes armed) over land and resources, and corruption.

For further information, see:

KEY TERMS

  1. Due diligence. A risk management exercise to minimise the risk of illegally harvested timber (or products containing it) being offered for sale on the EU market.
  2. Illegal logging. The harvesting of timber in violation of the laws of the country of harvest.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of laying down the obligations of operators who place timber and timber products on the market (OJ L 295, , pp. 23–34).

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 have been incorporated in the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

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