15 de September de 2016
Aimed at forest owners and the timber industry sector, the event served to clarify the aspects related to the first introduction of timber for marketing in the EU.
15.09.2016
MAGRAMA training session on the implementation of the Timber Regulation in the European Union.
The Timber Regulation (EUTR) (EU Regulation No. 995/2010) is the regulation governing the marketing of timber and timber products in all Member States.
The EUTR Regulation prohibits the marketing of both illegally harvested timber and its derived products on the European market.
The training session, which took place on September 15 at the headquarters of the Directorate General for Rural Development and Forestry Policy, was part of the MAGRAMA and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) Training Plan for 2016, and was attended by nearly 80 people.
The objective of this session, aimed at forest owners and the wood industry, focused on updating the knowledge of those involved in the control and inspection of wood products and importers, in order to ensure compliance with the requirements of European and Spanish regulations.
Around 35 people attended in person, including representatives from areas covered by the EUTR, primarily from the large retail sector and importers of wood-based products. Additionally, thanks to the virtual platform, nearly 40 more people participated, including representatives from the auctioneers' community and representatives from the primary wood processing industry. The event generated great interest and enjoyed very active participation from the attendees.
Guillermo Fernández Centeno, Deputy Director of Forestry and Forestry at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forests (MAGRAMA), spoke on the status of implementation of the FLEGT and EUTR Regulations in Spain. Antonio Fernández de Tejada explained the status of implementation of Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) and the introduction of FLEGT licenses in Spain. Alberto Romero gave a presentation on imports and the importance of risk by country and product.
Several speakers, including representatives of certification companies such as FSC and PEFC, discussed the value of certification in the standard's implementation process and the role of supervisory bodies, represented by Nepcon and AENOR.
It's worth highlighting the interest generated by the presentation by the representative of the company BASKEGUR on its Due Diligence System. It's an effective, free-to-download software tool that helps companies adapt to EUTR obligations and properly comply with the Regulation.
The presentation by José Brotons, head of the EUTR service at MAGRAMA, cleared up any doubts participants had regarding the obligations of agents and merchants, as well as the correct completion of the Responsible Declaration, which has been mandatory in Spain since December 2015.
The participants positively valued this training session for its interest and usefulness, and requested that MAGRAMA continue to provide information and training on timber certification in the future.
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