Impact assessment study for the revision of the product scope of the EU timber regulation : final report

This study entitled 'Impact Assessment study for the revision of the product scope of the EU Timber Regulation' assesses the impacts from alternative options to revise the scope of the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR). The study was executed following the EC Better Regulation Guidelines for impact assessments. The Study has included an Open Public Consultation (OPC), and targeted stakeholder consultations have informed the study. Preliminary results and observations were presented to and discussed with the FLEGT/EUTR Expert Group meeting in September 2018. The EUTR The EUTR is one of the initiatives under the EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan taken by EU to fight illegal logging. Illegal logging is considered a very serious global problem that damages the world's forests through forest degradation and deforestation. Illegal logging causes large environmental, economic and social damages and losses in the countries affected by illegal logging. The EUTR aims to fight illegal logging and associated trade by prohibiting the place of illegally harvested timer and timber products on the EU market, and thereby reducing the 'demand' in the EU for illegally harvested timber. The EUTR applies to domestically produced as well as imported timber and timber products. The EUTR demands that those who place timber or timber products on the EU market for the first time and as part of a commercial activity - the operators - must have and use a Due Diligence System (DDS). This obligation applies to operators and traders dealing in products within the scope of the EUTR. The implementation and enforcement of the EUTR is the responsibility of Member States' Competent Authorities (CAs). The EUTR defines its product scope by way of Combined Nomenclature (CN) codes that are generally used to identify imported products. This Study considers possible options for revising the current product scope and the consequent impacts from such revisions. The product scope is defined in the Annex to the EUTR.