March 7, 2013
The European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) came into effect at the beginning of March 2013 and aims to prohibit the placing of illegal timber and timber products on the EU market.
The EUTR applies to wood and wood products being placed on the EU market for the first time. It aims to counter the trade in illegally harvested timber and timber products by imposing the following three key obligations:
Placing illegally harvested timber and products derived from such timber on the EU market is prohibited.
- EU operators who place timber products on the EU market for the first time are required to exercise ‘due diligence’.
- Traders who buy or sell timber and timber products already on the market are required to keep information about their suppliers and customers to make timber easily traceable.
- Both timber and timber products produced in the EU and those imported from outside are covered by the legislation.
The regulation affects both operators and traders. Operators are described as those who first place timber products on the EU market and they carry the bulk of the responsibility. Traders are described as those who buy or sell timber or timber products already on the market and they are required to keep track of who they buy from and sell to.
With regards to the EU Timber Regulation, George Barnsdale & Sons Ltd is defined as a ‘trader’ and therefore will comply with the requirements of the regulation as it applies to ‘traders’. See how we will comply with the EU Timber Regulation.
In addition to meeting the requirements of the EUTR, all of the timber used for the manufacture of our windows and doors is sourced through the FSC® timber certification schemes.
For more information see our approvals and accreditation and sustainability.
