reuschlaw featuring GTS – Part 1: Introducing a regulatory framework for deforestation-free supply chains
07 February 2023, 10:00 a.m.
In the course of implementing the European Green Deal, the EU is steadily strengthening sustainability in supply chains. The previous Timber Trade Regulation (“EUTR”), which was transposed into German law by the Timber Trade Security Act (“HolzSiG”), only covers timber and timber products. On 17.11.2021, the EU Commission published for the first time a proposed regulation to regulate deforestation-free supply chains, which builds on known structures of the EUTR and is intended to replace it in the future.
In December last year, this world’s first regulation on deforestation-free supply chains was adopted. The regulation is expected to enter into force in mid-2023, so the new due diligence requirements will soon have clear implications in practice. Therefore, new questions arise: How exactly is freedom from deforestation to be demonstrated in the supply chain? How can the relevant documents be obtained and what requirements do they have to meet? To what extent are graduated due diligence regulations relevant and at what point do the new requirements have to be met? What are the consequences of non-compliance? We will answer these and other questions in our three-part series of events together with our cooperation partner Global Traceability (GTS). The event series is aimed at market participants, traders, quality assurance staff and product compliance officers in the agricultural sector.
The first event of the series presents the legal framework for placing timber and timber products on the market that has applied so far and gives an outlook on the new requirements for companies in the scope of the Deforestation Regulation.