Draft European legislation aimed at fighting illegal timber products could have significant and unintended negative consequences for UK forestry, the government has been warned.
ConFor, The Timber Trade Federation, WWF and a range of environmental NGOs met environment secretary Hilary Benn on the same day MEPs voted through more than 70 amendments to the draft legislation.
The regulation targets operators who place timber on the market for the first time, which would also include an owner of an acre of woodland in the UK who decided to sell a few logs.
Confor chief executive Stuart Goodall said more complex requirements could quickly become a major disincentive to woodland owners who would be deterred from managing their land due to more bureaucracy and cost.
The draft legislation will be put to European agricultural ministers in June.
