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Certification and Procurement

FERN’s aim is to encourage certification schemes to implement standards which recognise forest peoples’ rights and improve forestry practices and legislation. Our work on timber procurement aims to push the EU and Member States to consider certification, rights and forestry practices in their procurement policies.

 

FERN’s analysis: Certification is now a mainstream issue that can affect the decisions behind virtually every item we buy. However, when it comes to timber, there are serious problems translating this into improvements on the ground. Certification schemes are often dominated by the forestry industry or forest owners and even if this is not the case, certification bodies are increasingly certifying operations with very poor forest management practices that don’t recognise the rights of local communities. 

What FERN is doing: FERN supports groups to campaign against problematic certification operations or schemes whilst working to improve the policies of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and ensure they are implemented. FERN is also actively involved in getting the EU and Member States to have clear timber procurement policies which outlaw purchasing from non-certified sources.

To learn more about this campaign: see FERN’s statement on FSC, Footprints in the forest and buying a sustainable future.

Legal analysis from ClientEarth on the place of "social criteria" in Public Procurement Policies for Legal and Sustainable Timber

The briefing from ClientEarth outlines key principles of the law governing public procurement in the European Union and explains why it is appropriate to include criteria relating to social aspects of sustainable forest management as technical specifications and award criteria in Member State timber procurement policies.

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application/pdf iconClientEarth_briefing_social_criteria_timber_procurement_final.pdf229.01 KB

EU Ecolabel allows forest destruction - the case of Pindo Deli

This report investigates the award of the EU Ecolabel to two photocopy brands, Golden Plus and Lucky Boss, manufactured by the Indonesian company Pindo Deli, part of Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), one of the world's most controversial pulp and paper companies. It concludes that the EU Ecolabel criteria for sustainable forest management for copy & graphic paper and the revised version (latest draft from December 2009) are very weak and not adequate to ensure that the most egregious forest operations are excluded. In addition, the EU Ecolabel award process is non-transparent and the EU Ecolabel should be withdrawn for Pindo Deli's brands of photocopy paper.

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application/pdf iconFERN_PindoDeli-final.pdf1.26 MB

The link between forest destruction and the EU Ecolabel

Press release highlighting the FERN report “EU Ecolabel allows forest destruction – the case of Pindo Deli.” The report adds weight to the argument that the EU Ecolabel for forest products has proven itself unworthy, been bypassed by Member States’ purchasing policies and is at the mercy of companies wishing to greenwash their practices whilst changing nothing.

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application/pdf iconPindo Deli Ecolabel press release.pdf40.53 KB

Forestwatch Issue 145 and Copenhagen Special

  • EU Member States reject prohibition of the sale of illegal timber
  • NGOs reject Ecolabel for copying and graphic paper
  • Will Europe follow America’s ECAs in reducing GHGs
  • Integrated Product Policy and Beyond
  • Member States’ support binding biomass criteria
  • Copenhagen Update (Available in French and Spanish)
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application/pdf iconFW 145 Jan 2010.pdf184.82 KB
application/pdf iconCopenhagen update.pdf124.79 KB
application/pdf iconCopenhagen update in French.pdf189.37 KB
application/pdf iconCopenhagen update in Spanish.pdf132.46 KB

Forestwatch issue 141

  • Obstacles on the road to sustainable bioenergy criteria
  • Climate haggling... to be continued
  • UK timber procurement: Help shape criteria
  • The Saami Council applauds breakthrough
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application/pdf iconOPEN179.99 KB

FERN position on FSC

A FERN statement outlining our reasons for continuing our FSC membership and the policies and actions that would lead to us handing in this membership.

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application/pdf iconOPEN57.49 KB

Buying a Sustainable Future, timber procurement policies in the EU

This report analyses the different timber procurement policies of six EU Member States and Japan. The report shows that although there is some variation between the different policies, there are also many similarities. The Netherlands policy is the strongest in terms of inclusion of social issues with the UK policy does not (yet) include; France and Germany just accept certain certification schemes and the Danish policy is not mandatory. The new EU procurement policy aims to ensure the other 21 Member States will also develop some policies. So more to come...

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application/pdf iconEnglish1.18 MB

Forestwatch issue 140

  • Ilisu dam: teetering at the edge
  • Liberia’s dubious timber concessions
  • UK Environmental Audit Committee heeded
  • EU aid: must do better
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application/pdf iconFW 140.pdf176.55 KB
application/pdf iconBonn II meeting update.pdf131.11 KB

Forest Watch Issue 139

  • New DG for Climate and Energy criticised
  • GPP: Be heard!
  • R-Plans: Indigenous and local communities stand firm
  • Not so fast, M. de Larosière!
  • Commission must sharpen development policy tools
  • Cameroon VPA negotiation concludes
  • Biomass update
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application/pdf iconFW 139.pdf211.67 KB
application/pdf iconBiomass update.pdf74.63 KB

Regaining credibility and rebuilding support: changes the FSC needs to make

A joint statement by FERN, Greenpeace, Inter-African Forest Industry Association, Precious Woods, Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and Tropical Forest Trust, detailing which changes this group the FSC needs to make to regain its credibility.

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application/msword iconOPEN46 KB