Market coverage of the EUTR - what share of wood imports into the EU is covered by the EUTR?

Abstract

Illegal Logging is one of the major global causes of deforestation and degradation of forests. To combat the negative effects of illegal logging, the European Union (EU) introduced various forest related policies and measures. Among them is the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR). The objective of the presented analysis is to identify the percentage share that the EUTR applies to wood and wood-based products. We analysed the imports into the EU by using different reference units: the import value in Euro, the roundwood equivalent and the wood fibre equivalent. Our results show that about 90% of the imported quantities and 74% of the imported values are covered by the EUTR. This means, that in 2013 the EU imported a total wood quantity of 6 million m³ wood fibre equivalents (or 17 million m³ roundwood equivalents, respectively) which is not covered by the EUTR. This amount is almost equally distributed between wood products and paper products. Coverage ratios for further differentiated product groups differ. Typically, raw materials have a higher coverage ratio, and finished products have a lower coverage ratio. The wood quantities that are not covered by the EUTR are highly concentrated between a few commodities like wood charcoal, other articles of wood, recovered paper, printed books and brochures.