Eco-labeling is a stupid demand: German association
Eco-labeling is a stupid demand: German association
JAKARTA (JP): The practice of eco-labeling, required by a
number of developed countries for imported tropical forest
products, is a "stupid" one, the general manager of the German
Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers Association says.
Werner Neubauer told journalists here yesterday that Germany
has never bothered to set environmental standards for any wood
products from Indonesia.
"It's stupid of them to impose such a requirement as they will
lose chances to do business in wood products," Neubauer told a
press conference on his country's participation at the
Woodworking and Forestry Indonesia '94 at the Jakarta Fairground
yesterday.
German exhibitors, 50 companies occupying some 1,300 square
meters at the fairground, are the largest foreign contingent at
the international forestry expo, which will last until Saturday.
To deal with eco-labeling standards, Neubauer suggested that
Indonesia invite representatives of concerned countries to
Indonesia to look at its forest management. "If necessary, also
invite journalists from those countries."
Neubauer said eco-labeling measures were not taken by the
Commission of the European Union but were by some individual
European countries like Britain, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
He noted that he is confident that the German government,
under Chancellor Helmut Kohl, will not introduce new restrictive
practices such as environmental standards, which have been
accepted by most developed countries.
"I'm very happy that he was reelected as chancellor. He is a
chancellor who really takes care of the German economy," Neubauer
told The Jakarta Post, commenting on Kohl's reelection as
chancellor by the German parliament on Tuesday.
Boycott
Early this year, however, some 400 city administrations in
Germany reportedly boycotted Indonesian wood products. According
to Muhammad (Bob) Hasan, chairman of the Association of
Indonesian Wood Panel Producers (Apkindo), the boycott was
motivated more by commercial objectives and a limitation on
imports from Indonesia rather than by environmental concern.
For the first six months of this year, Indonesian exports of
wood products declined by 5.9 percent to 4.6 million tons worth
US$3.1 billion.
Indonesian imports of woodworking machinery from Germany last
year decreased by 140 percent to $37 million from $90 million in
1992.
"This year, I hope it will be increasing," Neubauer said,
adding that the decrease of Indonesia's imports of German
woodworking equipment might result from its policy of reducing
imports in general.
He said Germany's woodworking machinery exports to Asian
countries accounted for 17 percent of its total exports. The
largest Asian importing countries are Japan, China, Malaysia and
Indonesia.
He predicted that wood products would regain worldwide
popularity in the future, especially for furniture, home and
office interiors, as raw materials are more abundant than steel
or plastics. (rid)