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UK Government timber procurement policy. National Sustainable Procurement Stakeholder Group 22 May 2008. Marigold Norman Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs. The UK timber procurement policy.
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UK Government timber procurement policy National Sustainable Procurement Stakeholder Group 22 May 2008 Marigold Norman Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
The UK timber procurement policy • Since 2000, central government departments must seek to buy timber from sustainable and legal sources. • Legal timber is a condition of contract. • From 2009, policy will change to sustainable timber only, or timber licensed under the EU FLEGT initiative.
Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET) • Established in 2005 to provide free advice to public sector and suppliers. • Assessments of schemes and other evidence against government definitions of legality & sustainability. • Workshops, promotion, monitoring and guidance. • Reference Board includes trade and ENGOs.
Legality and sustainability – definitions • Legality refers to compliance with relevant laws in the country of origin of the timber. • Sustainability encompasses most elements of international definitions of sustainable forest management. • Suppliers can use certified timber or other credible means of ensuring legality & sustainability.
Impacts and influence of the policy • 60% of timber imports into UK are certified – significant increase since policy adopted. • Other national governments have followed suit in developing timber procurement policies. • Raising the standards of SFM (through certification schemes) • Timber Trade Federation: ‘policy is a significant driver for removing illegal timber from the supply chain’.
Work with local authorities on timber procurement • Defra working to encourage local authority development and implementation of a timber procurement policy. • Defra working with the Timber Trade Federation and the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) on a joint strategy aimed at offering the maximum support to local authorities. • Meeting on 25th June with around10 London LAs and industry/NGO representatives to discuss a London forum to share information and best practice.
What next? • London forum and promotion of the CPET services to local authorities. Important to stress the link between timber and the Local Government Sustainable Procurement Strategy. • EU considering mandatory green public procurement policies – this would mean that all 27 Member States have to purchase legal timber. • EU considering legislation to tackle illegal logging.
Thank you. Any questions? Marigold Norman +44 (0)20 7270 8408 marigold.norman@defra.gsi.gov.uk CPET +44 (0)1865 243766 cpet@proforest.net www.proforest.net/cpet