The European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) came into force at the beginning of March 2013. It affects every company which is importing wood and wooden products into the EU. There is comparable legality legislation in other parts of the world, for example the Lacey Act in the USA, which underlines the fact that the struggle against illegal logging is being fought at the global scale.
Against the background of these developments, FSC Germany and partners TRAFFIC and ATIBT, are hosting a conference on “Global Timber Trade and Legality Legislation” at the Interzum trade fair in Cologne, Germany on 15 May 2013. The different experiences which companies have had during the early stages of EUTR implementation will be discussed in keynotes, debates and other inclusive formats during the first part of the conference. Questions addressed will include
What are the main hurdles for the corporate sector?
What are the practical methods and best practices available to navigate this new legal landscape, and what opportunities does it offer?
What support is offered by third party certification schemes and monitoring organizations?
How are the implementation authorities enforcing the EUTR legislation?
In the second part of the conference, regional round tables will be held with international speakers focusing on specific developments in Asia, Africa and Latin America, as well as Eastern Europe and Russia. Of course there will be ample opportunity, for example at the evening reception, to have exchange and discussions with other participants.
The conference is aimed at the corporate sector – traders, agents and timber processors – but also at the retail and construction sectors. Places will be limited, so please get on the early-bird list. If you have any further questions, visit the conference website www.writingthefuture.org, where you can find information on the provisional program, registration process and fees. The more detailed program will be published soon.
Promotion options are offered to interested parties, and for companies there is also the possibility of using the conference as a sponsorship platform. If you are interested in this, please don’t hesitate to contact Thomas Häbe, FSC Germany: thomas.haebe@fsc-deutschland.de