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EU Faces Scrutiny Over Russian Birch Plywood Imports Amidst Deforestation Law Concerns
The European Union is under pressure to address a surge in birch plywood imports from countries like Kazakhstan and georgia,which are suspected of being a conduit for circumventing sanctions on Russian timber. Industry groups, such as Unemadera, have voiced strong concerns, warning that these imports pose a meaningful threat to the domestic timber industry.Similar anxieties have been echoed by producers in Latvia and Poland, highlighting a broader European unease.
Analysis of Eurostat data by Euractiv reveals a stark shift in import patterns. Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the EU saw virtually no birch plywood imports from Kazakhstan and Georgia, with minimal quantities arriving from China and Turkey in most member states. This recent influx from these intermediary nations has raised red flags.
Political Undercurrents and the EUDR
These trade revelations emerge at a critical juncture, as political forces are actively seeking to modify the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The EUDR, a cornerstone of the EU’s strategy to combat deforestation, aims to prevent products linked to forest destruction from entering the European single market.
A recent resolution adopted by the European Parliament, spearheaded by the European People’s Party (EPP), has challenged the european Commission’s proposed risk classification system.The resolution advocates for the creation of a “no-risk” category for countries that have their own established deforestation laws.
While Russia and Belarus are currently designated as high-risk under the EUDR, nations like Kazakhstan, China, Turkey, and Georgia – all identified by non-governmental organizations as potential circumvention points – are classified as low-risk.This classification also extends to all EU member states.
Concerns have been raised by MEP Thomas Waitz of the Greens group, who is also a forester. He cautioned that introducing a “no-risk” category and delaying the EUDR’s implementation coudl undermine the effectiveness of measures against Russia. “The EPP needs to show up for Ukraine,” Waitz stated,directly addressing the centre-right European People’s Party.
Pascal Canfin, the lead negotiator for the liberal renew group on the regulation, described calls to weaken the EUDR as a “gift to countries like Russia” and a blow to EU sovereignty.The EUDR boasts more stringent traceability requirements than existing timber legislation, designed to close identified loopholes. However, Earthsight argues that the proposed “no-risk” classification, which has garnered support from 18 farming ministers and the European Parliament, could paradoxically render the EUDR less effective than current rules.
EPP MEP Alexander bernhuber, who is leading the charge to exempt certain EU countries from EUDR obligations through the new risk category, believes the regulation should not be used as a tool for enforcing sanctions.He emphasized that circumvention is already a criminal offense that warrants robust prosecution. Bernhuber called for enhanced controls at the EU’s external borders and stricter enforcement of existing sanction regulations. He further asserted that the EUDR should not penalize those engaged in enduring and responsible forestry practices.
