Timber Regulation Compliance
UK Timber Regulation (UKTR), European Timber Regulation (EUTR) and Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) compliance
Post-Brexit the UK has replicated into law a requirement that any business that first places a timber or timber product onto the GB market* must be able to demonstrate, through documented evidence, that the company has a ‘Due Diligence System’ (DDS) in place to:
- Gather information about the supply chain, including evidence that the forest source was legally harvested and that all relevant trade related laws were complied with throughout the supply chain
- Carry out a risk assessment on the information gathered
- Mitigate any identified risk
In addition to having a documented DDS the company must also – if challenged by the competent Authority, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) – demonstrate that the have actually applied their DDS to the timber or timber products that have placed on the market.
The UK has also replicated the FLEGT regulation into UK law.
*The regulation for companies first placing timber or timber product onto the market in Northern Ireland are slightly different in that they remain subject to the European Timber Regulation. However the requirements are essential identical.
The OPSS provides good quality information and official guidance as well as access to the formal regulatory documents at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/regulations-timber-and-flegt-licences
Links to these documents are also replicated here for your convenience, there are two separate regulatory regimes:
- the UK Timber Regulations
- the FLEGT Regulations
Each of these regulatory regimes consists of a suite of separate regulations, including:
Our services include
- Gap analysis i.e. pre-audit assessment & consultation, usually just 1 day
- Preparation of systems and procedures, usually 2-3 days
- Training for internal personnel and suppliers – usually just 1 day
- Internal Audits – usually just 1 day
- Assistance during certification body audits – usually just 1 day
- Support addressing non-conformance issues and corrective actions
- Supply chain development – sourcing certified products and suppliers – time as required
- UKTR DDS development
- Support with response to OPSS enquiries and regulatory compliance demands
- Marketing support for certified products – e.g. website and other marketing copy. FSC/PEFC trademark compliance checks