New UK legislation is being introduced setting out the control of imports of timber from countries with EU legality licensing agreements.

The legislation is separate and different from the EU Timber Regulation, to be implemented from March 3, 2013, which prohibits import of illegal timber and wood products.

Defra said the new UK legislation will come in at the end of 2011 to implement the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Regulation. This covers imports of timber from countries which have signed FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPA).

The legislation is being put in place just before the first shipments of VPA timber from the first three countries to sign up – Ghana, Cameroon and the Republic of Congo.

Once the law is in place importers will need to get a FLEGT licence from the VPA producer country and present it to Defra’s policing body, the Animal Health & Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) before a cargo arrives.

The UK Border Agency will be the enforcement authority at the border, with AHVLA inspectors checking compliance down stream and the police prosecuting breaches. Cargoes deemed “invalid” will be impounded until proven otherwise.

“We are still developing our position on what should happen to timber that has been seized due to breach of the FLEGT Regulation,” said Defra.

It added that charges may be levied on importers for the verification process.

Sofie Tind Nielsen, project manager at the government’s Central Point for Expertise on Timber, reported few enquiries from UK importers so far but expected more calls for advice once Indonesia and Malaysia seal VPAs.

She said it had taken a long time for VPA-licensed timber to become available in the UK but this had been necessary to make import processes as robust as possible.

Currently the government’s timber procurement policy will accept VPA-licensed timber until 2015, insisting on certified sustainable material thereafter. But Ms Nielsen hinted the date could be pushed backed several years to allow VPA signatories to achieve full certification.

VPA timber will satisfy the requirements of the wider EU Timber Regulation.

AHVLA will shortly produce a guidance note for traders and may also offer them training.