New European Union Timber Regulations coming into force on 3 March 2013 will affect all British retailers. This means that from this date it will be an offence to sell products that contain timber that has been harvested illegally within the EU. Source: Bdaily Business Network
From 2013 retailers will need to ensure that they know where the timber came from and be able to prove that it was harvested legally. This regulation also relates in part to paper products.
The new legislation applies to products that a company sells onto its customers as well as the products that it uses within its premises including furniture or printer paper.
The British Retail Consortium is concerned that supporting documents to advise British retailers are not being released with sufficient time to allow them to put practices and systems in place to comply.
The new EU timber rules amount to one of the most substantial pieces of legislation affecting the retail supply chain and it will take companies many months to work through all the products they sell and materials they use in-house to establish they have the required documentation.
