Workshop on EUTR on February 6

EUTR will be applicable from March 3 in EU Member states as part of EU-Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (EU-FLEGT) action plan, Dr T R Manoharan, Consultant to EFI and Forest Stewardship Council's National Representative for India, told reporters here.

Since Europe is a major market for Indian exports, it was relevant to understand the implications of EUTR on the export business from India, he said.

"The exporters in India have to make sure that they have adequate information on legality of timber to support the due diligence system of the operators (importers) in Europe," he said.

In May 2003, the European Commission adopted the EU Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT), aimed at combating illegal logging and its associated trade.

The new regulation covers a wide range of timber and forest products, from logs, sawn timber, veneers, railway sleepers, picture frames, builder's carpentry and joinery, plywood, pulp and paper, packing cases, pellets, fibre and oriented strand boards, he said.