EU bids to cut down illegal timber trade<\/p>\n
Robin Pomeroy, Reuters, Brussels<\/p>\n
The European Union is to urge timber exporting countries to
\ncertify their wood does not come from illegal logging which is
\nravaging the world's priceless rainforests.<\/p>\n
The European Commission is to launch a voluntary timber
\ncertification system that might lead to a global agreement to
\nclean up the US$150 billion global forest product trade,
\naccording to a draft proposal obtained by Reuters on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Under the scheme, once a country or regional bloc has signed
\nup to a Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT)
\nagreement, the EU will refuse to accept imported timber from that
\nstate unless it is certified as legal.<\/p>\n
The exporter country would benefit from a more credible image
\nand increase tax revenues from valuable timber that might
\notherwise be smuggled onto the world's markets, the text says.<\/p>\n
\"In some forest-rich countries, the corruption fueled by
\nprofits from illegal logging has grown to such an extent that it
\nis undermining the rule of law, principles of democratic
\ngovernment and respect for human rights,\" the Commission says in
\nits proposal due to be published on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\"Measures can be taken by the EU and other major consumers of
\ntimber products to direct demand towards only legally harvested
\ntimber,\" it says.<\/p>\n
The scheme could lead to a global agreement on forest trading,
\nit adds.<\/p>\n
The London-based campaign group, Environmental Investigation
\nAgency (EIA), reckons up to half of the EU's tropical timber
\nimports is illegal at source.<\/p>\n
Countries whose environments and economies suffer include
\nIndonesia, whose tropical forests are home to endangered species
\nlike orangutans.<\/p>\n
More than 70 percent of Indonesian log production comes from
\nillegal sources, the EIA estimates.<\/p>\n
The EU's proposal will target southeast Asia, south America,
\ncentral Africa and Russia.<\/p>\n
The European Union would help less developed countries improve
\ntheir judiciary, police and military to help stop illegal
\nlogging.<\/p>\n
The World Bank estimates exporter countries lose between $10
\nbillion and $15 billion a year in lost taxes, a fraction of which
\nwould be needed to create a certification scheme, the
\nCommission's proposal says.<\/p>",
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