PRESS RELEASE: Monday 19 January 2004
National policies undermine new ‘green’ timber buying
rules
New EU
rules due to be adopted this month will make it easier for governments to buy
‘green’ timber, but many will continue to use illegal and unsustainable sources
because of poor national policies, says new research published today (Monday 19
January 2004).
The
research analyses how two EU directives on public procurement – due to be
adopted in January 2004[1]
– might affect public timber buying practices, and finds that seven out of
nine EU governments have no policy on ‘green’ timber procurement.
To Buy or Not to Buy, published by FERN, shows that:
· New EU directives on public procurement make ‘green’ timber procurement easier than before.
· Finland, Portugal, Italy, France and Ireland have no policy to guide government spending on timber, while Germany and The Netherlands are in the process of developing policies. Only the United Kingdom and Denmark provide detailed guidance.
· Governments need strong policies to take advantage of the new buying rules.
· The WTO is not an obstacle to ‘green’ timber procurement.
Government purchases of timber are
estimated to account for 18% of timber imports into G8 countries, worth $20
billion annually. Much of this comes from unsustainable and illegal timber
sources.
“Forests are in crisis yet EU
governments are failing to buy timber from sustainable and legal sources,” said
Saskia Ozinga from FERN. “There are basic steps that governments should take
such as requiring timber to come from independently certified forests. The EU
directives on procurement allow room for ‘green’ timber purchasing, but
governments need to set up strong policies to take advantage of them.”
To Buy or Not to Buy: Timber procurement policies in the EU is available online at www.fern.org
ENDS
Further information: Saskia Ozinga
+31 20 344 9456/ +31 20 771 9330 saskia@fern.org
FERN promotes the conservation and sustainable use of forests and respect for the rights of forest peoples in the policies and practices of the European Union.