Timber Imports from Conflict Countries to EU Increasing

Jul 19, 2017 | Jade Saunders and Marigold Norman
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EU timber imports from conflict countries, which are at high risk of being illegal, have increased 14 percent, despite the European Union’s Timber Regulation (EUTR) legislation’s requirement that companies ensure that only legal timber enters the EU market, according to a new Forest Trends report.

The Forest Trends brief analyzes 2015 trade data reported by European governments (the most recent full trade data available). It finds that across the EU, import levels of timber from conflict countries differ significantly, but have been rising steadily in at least 12 of the 28 EU member countries since 2010. Overall, the top European importers of timber from fragile and conflict-affected states are Italy (29% of EU trade since 2000), France (16%), Spain (15%), Belgium (9%), and Germany (6%).