EPCH to encourage industry to curb illegal timber exports

NEW DELHI: The Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts ( EPCH) on Wednesday said it will launch an initiative to spread awareness about the EU new laws by month-end, aimed at strict compliance of norms for exports of timber to European nations.

The European Union Timber Regulation ( EUTR) prohibits the placement of illegally harvested timber and timber products derived from such timber in the EU market.

The programme tilted "Vriksha" is expected to be launched by this month end.

"By April end, we are going to launch with all standards, parameters and benchmarks this plan with an estimated investment of Rs 50 lakh for this year," EPCH Executive Director Rakesh Kumar said at a function here.

Besides, he said, the EPCH will constitute a Steering Group Committee which will have representations from various ministries like Textiles, Commerce, environment and Forests along with other industry stakeholders.

"The panel will assess the products against requirement of timber regulation and facilitate certification of products free of cost," Kumar said.

The council has been engaged in organising seminars and workshops to create awareness in regard to timber regulations by EU, he added.

Illegal logging continues to be a major threat to sustainable forest management globally. Its environmental, social and economic impact include deforestation and forest degradation and loss of livelihood among forest dependent communities.

Earlier, exporters of timber were to provide general certification for EU market requirement. Now, under this regulation, it is mandatory for exporters to provide certificate of origin for each and every consignment which is exported to any of the European nation.

In 2011-12, India exported wooden handicrafts worth USD 546 million to major markets like US, EU, Canada and Japan.

Of the total 7 million craftspersons engaged in the handicrafts sector, around 1.1 million people are working in wooden handicrafts segment.