conjunction with Denmark-based environmental consultancy NEPCon, and with funding from the UK Department for International Development, the European Timber Trade Federation (ETTF) has devised a due diligence system to provide a common pan-European approach for compliance with EUTR legality demands.

The system is designed to be adopted by entire federations for their members, or by individual companies.

There will be help for training operators to use the system and it is hoped it will also be taken up by EU national timber trade federations which aren’t currently ETTF members.

"Other ETTF member federations with their own due diligence systems already in place must also now adjust these, at least to the basic principles of the ETTF system, to further ensure a common approach," said ETTF secretary-general André de Boer. "A document identifying these principles and elaborating on the scheme’s overall requirements is being drafted."

The ETTF, which counts the UK’s Timber Trade Federation among its members, also commissioned consultancy Proforest to assess whether leading third-party legality verification or certification schemes meet illegal timber "risk mitigation" criteria demanded by the EUTR.

The resulting report concluded that, as things stand only four out of the 10 schemes covered would be accepted as adequate proof of legality under the legislation. These are SmartWood Verification of Legal Compliance, Soil Association Forest Verification of Legal Compliance, SCS LegalHarvest Verification and NEPCon’s LegalSource Standard. These all had some areas of "partial compliance", but would "provide acceptable assurance and credibility" under EUTR criteria.

The non-compliant schemes were BV Origin and Legality of Wood, the Certisource Legality Assurance System, GFS Wood Tracking Programme, SmartWood Verification of Legal Origin and the Forest Stewardship Council and Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes. The last two fell down because, at the time, they did not ensure compliance with local trade and customs laws.

While highlighting these schemes’ EUTR shortfalls, however, the Proforest report also pointed out that they are still working on compliance and urged later reassessment (see p20 for latest changes at FSC and PEFC).

Mr Boer said the report provided a useful tool for timber businesses. "By doing this assessment using technical expertise, our aim is to support operators, while ensuring greater consistency in the implementation of the EUTR," he said.

To download the ETTF system and Proforest report go to www.ettf.info.