Organised by the The Forest Trust , the International Timber Trade Federation Day brought together representatives from the world’s timber trade federations, timber producing countries, industry and selected others to discuss new US and EU legislation, certification and challenges brought on by the global recession.
It was a great insight into the real business challenges the industry has to face:
- how to pass on costs of certification to consumers when cheaper, uncertified timber is still widely available on the market
- how to comply with new laws in the US (Lacey Act) and EU (Due Diligence), that take very different approaches to tackling the illegal logging problem. And whilst the details and execution of these laws are still unclear, what’s the best way for the industry to adapt?
We’ll tackle these issues further in later blogs, but for now it’s obvious that ALL parties have the same objective: to eliminate illegal trade and create a level, fair global market. To find the best solution, industry, governments, service providers (certification systems and technology providers like DHTT) and NGOs must continue to work together to combine legislative and commercial solutions that make legal and sustainable trade the norm. This must be done in a way that will be embraced by the market – i.e. consumers like you and me.
Right now, we haven’t found the right solution. Given the option, most consumers buy the cheaper, uncertified wood product. This is expected when we all face buying choices with limited money. But progress is being made so that, eventually, whatever buying decision we make, we will support legitimate trade.
CAREERS
