Following the evaluation of the effectiveness and functioning of the EUTR during its first two years of application, the European Commission has submitted to public consultation – during Ian-Apr 2018, the possibility of amending the scope of the EUTR. According to the public consultation strategy, it focused on the main question “Should the current EUTR product range be changed or not? And if so, to what extent? “, and it was addressed to the following categories of interest groups: any interested party, including operators (as defined by EUTR), traders (as defined by EUTR), other enterprises that would may be interested in a modified scope of the EUTR, industry and / or professional associations affected, civil society organizations, non-EU timber producing countries, the general public.
Survey results and trends:
Of the total of 220 respondents, the majority are industry stakeholders (30 operators, 60 industry-commerce associations, 21 traders), followed by representatives of civil society (35), respectively by competent authorities (13). Of these, 65 operate internationally, 34 at EU level and 59 at national level.
To the question “Is the current scope appropriate to reach the EUTR objective – the fight against illegal logging and related trade?” more than 70% of respondents answered “NO”, and of these over 70% responded that the product scope must be amended by adding products. It is worth mentioning that 50% of them have opted for ALL-IN, i.e. the inclusion of all products containing wood in the EUTR list.
Among the products mentioned to include printed materials, charcoal, wooden toys, chairs or other products, especially found in chapters 44, 49 and 94 of the European Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87.
The full results of the consultation can be found here:
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