More positive attitudes to tropical timber in Europe

Fuente:
ITTO
Vistas:
2012
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The first quarter of 2015 has been a busy time for EU policy initiatives linked to tropical forest and market development programs for tropical timber. There seems now not only to be a new urgency surrounding these initiatives but also a growing pragmatism with potentially positive implications for the tropical timber industry.

Specifically, there is a growing realisation that the EU can achieve very little by demanding that tropical timber products meet unrealistic standards of forest certification.

In order to avoid becoming irrelevant in issues surrounding tropical forests, the focus appears to be heading towards building constructive partnerships with tropical countries and on ensuring demands for “legal and sustainable” timber is balanced by positive promotion of progress.

This new and more positive attitude was in evidence at two high profile and well attended meetings focused on tropical forestry issues hosted in the EU during the first quarter of 2015.

In February, the second annual conference of the Sustainable Tropical Timber Coalition (STTC) in Valencia, Spain, attracted 70 delegates, a large proportion of which were from the trade and industry.

In March, FLEGT Week was held in Brussels, an event which attracted over 300 invited delegates representing a wide spectrum of interests including private sector, governments and civil society from about 40 timber producing and consuming countries.

Again, and unlike previous years, there was significant participation from trade and industry, the African contingent being particularly well represented. Two other European-based trade associations also deserve credit for promoting this more positive and pragmatic approach to tropical timber issues in the EU.

The European Timber Trade Federation (ETTF) is becoming more active and vocal in its support for tropical timbers – well illustrated by the quarterly ETTF newsletter now being published quarterly and freely available.

The Association Technique Internationale des Bois Tropicaux (ATIBT) based in Paris is also busy transforming itself into an international organisation with a stronger focus on accelerating recovery in the tropical timber sector in Europe and wider international market place.

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