The Timber Trade Federation has asked HM Revenue & Customs to investigate Chinese plywood products declared under the EU Coniferous Plywood Quota amid concerns of continuing fraudulent claims.
The Federation’s National Panel Products Division (NPPD) has written a letter to HM Revenue & Customs and the relevant minister at the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills.
Its action comes as the EU Coniferous Plywood Quota for 2012 got under way on January 1, with 650,000m³ of coniferous throughout plywood able to be imported duty free before a 7% levy is charged.
The NPPD has warned that Chinese pine-faced plywood with a poplar core cannot be declared under the quota and reminded members to make sure their forwarding agents were aware of this.
It has asked the authorities in “no uncertain terms” that they should pay particular attention to and investigate imports declared under the quota from China, particularly those that are declared under a certain price point, “below which the product is unlikely to be softwood throughout”.
