EUTR - European Timber Regulation

Einar Risør A/S unconditionally disavows illegal harvesting of timber and the further processing and sale of illegal timber. We undertake to work together with our suppliers and other stakeholders to eliminate the problem.

​

​The European Timber Regulation (EUTR) is EU’s timber regulation with obligations for all stakeholders handling timber and timber products in the European market.

​

​

The Regulation bans the marketing of illegal timber. This applies to imported timber as well as timber harvested in the EU.​

The objective of EU's Timber Regulation is to combat illegal harvesting of timber and prevent trade with illegally harvested timber.

​

EU’s efforts to combat illegal harvesting of timber have resulted in the FLEGT action plan for law enforcement, good governance and trade in forestry which the EU Commission adopted in 2003.​

In addition to the general regulation of EUTR, the action plan also includes the so-called FLEGT license scheme which is an import regulation vis-à-vis partner countries according to which only licensed timber (i.e. timber with a license issued by the partner country) may be imported to the EU from partner countries. Moreover, the FLEGT action plan encourages stimulation of the market for legal timber through the development of public procurement policies focusing on the procurement of legal timber.

​

​

The European Timber Regulation, EUTR, does not include requirements that the legality of the timber must be proven. However, EUTR specifies elements in a due diligence system which the companies have to establish. The system is to minimise the risk of placing illegally harvested timber on the EU market.

​

Companies can establish their own due diligence system or can use a system developed by a so-called ’Monitoring Organisation’ (MO).

The due diligence system is to ensure that the company has access to specific information about the timber products, including country of harvest, species, quantity or weight, details of the supplier and information on compliance with national legislation in the country of harvest.

​

A due diligence system must also include a risk assessment which allows the companies to assess whether the timber has been harvested in compliance with national legislation in the country of harvest.

​

​Unless the risk can be deemed insignificant, the companies are obliged to implement measure to mitigate the risk. Such measures may range from requiring additional documentation of compliance from the supplier, third-party verification to replacing the supplier.

The requirement for due diligence only applies to companies placing timber or timber products on the market for the first time, such as importers or forest owners. Traceability is required for products which are already on the market.

​

​The companies are obliged to maintain and regularly evaluate the due diligence system. However, this does not apply when the companies are using a due diligence system prepared by a monitoring organisation. If so, the 'monitoring organisation' undertakes to maintain and evaluate the due dilligence system which is offered to the users.

​

All dealers of timber and timber products in the EU, even those who merely resell timber and timber products after the timber has been put on the EU market for the first time, will be obliged to keep records of their timber suppliers and customers.

​

​It goes without saying that Risør Finerhandel A/S has implemented a due diligence system.​

​