FSC to tackle timber certification in light of EUTR

27/08/2012

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is set to address how best to operate a timber product certification scheme in the context of the EU Timber Regulations (EUTR).

The FSC has published a question and answer document asking key questions about the matter in a bid to clarify points like whether or not FSC-certification will be accepted by the EUTR as automatic proof of a product's sustainable origins.

Introducing a 'green lane' for FSC-certified products is another issue that the FSC is looking to address. It also hopes to highlight the benefits that the scheme could offer to the EUTR, in areas such as risk assessment and mitigation in particular.

Timber companies usually need to obtain confirmation of their products' origins prior to being recognised under the FSC's risk assessment and mitigation schemes.

The FSC has taken further action to comply with the EUTR, including a web-based cloud tool to improve and simplify control over the council's certified transactions along the supply chain. It is also looking to ensure that certificate holders provide the required information and is revising certain standard documents to this end.

Being able to prove the sustainable origins of a product is becoming increasingly valuable as consumers becoming more and more aware of the importance of environmental issues.