The Pan European Forest Certification Council (PEFCC) has given the green light to revisions to its procedures and documentation.

The council has been looking at how its scheme could be improved and changes include more user-friendly documents, clarification of terms and requirements and new guidelines to revise the national standards.

Ben Gunneberg, PEFCC secretary-general, said: “In 2001 the PEFC had been operational for two years and practical experience already existed to allow us to start a comprehensive review procedure.”

The 18-month evaluation included an external consultant’s report to review the comments and criticism of PEFC by various parties. The report formed the basis of a thorough consultation and development process resulting in the review of PEFC documentation procedures.

&#8220What we now have in the PEFC is a streamlined and improved mechanism for the development and assessment of independently developed forest certification schemes.”

Ben Gunneberg, PEFCC secretary general.

Mr Gunneberg said: “To do the evaluation in a credible manner, our board took the bold step of commissioning and publishing the complete report on the internet. What we now have, as a result, is a streamlined and improved mechanism for the development and assessment of independently developed forest certification schemes.”

The new documentation can be seen at www.pefc.org.