ETTF Federations in Action on Sustainable Tropical Timber
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ETTF NewsWinter/Spring 2017 @ettf1 www.ettf.info Building sustainable tropical timber’s UK Confederation market share PHOTO: WIJMA issues its manifesto The UK Confederation of Timber Industries (CTI) unveiled its Industry Manifesto outlining key strategies at the Timber Expo show in Birmingham. The CTI is a federation of federations, formed in 2015, and the Manifesto launch was a collaboration between members the British Woodworking Federation (BWF), ETTF Federations in action on Structural Timber Association (STA) and Timber Trade Federation (TTF). sustainable tropical timber The document details the CTI’s focus on four development areas: Value and Four ETTF federations have been approved for European Sustainable Growth, Sustainability, Skills and Education Tropical Timber Coalition (STTC) awards to develop sustainable and Construction and Housing. Improved tropical timber sourcing, procurement and sales strategies. performance in all of these is needed, states the CTI, if it is to fulfil its aims of 'growing the UK timber industry, promoting best practice and The Danish Timber Trade Federation (DTTF), about tropical timber too. boosting collaboration across the supply chain’. Le Commerce du Bois (LCB), AEIM and GD “It’s ambitious,” said Mr Petersen, “but to “We need to show the value that Holz all put forward Action Plans (AP) to the increase imports we need to improve tropical our sector brings to the economy, the STTC, outlining proposed activities. These had wood's negative image.” environment and UK skills base,” said David to align with Coalition criteria for increasing Director Jakob Rygg Klaumann said the DTTF Hopkins, TTF Managing Director and CTI certified sustainable material’s share of the plans to engage members to increase Danish Board member. European tropical timber market. imports of sustainably sourced tropical timber Click here for the Manifesto They could range from encouraging by 30% above 2015 levels by 2020. It will also implementation of private and public sector develop tools for members to use in daily sustainable procurement policies and customer communication, underlining that supporting use of lesser known tropical timber ‘sustainably produced tropical timber is safe, species (LKTS), to increasing tropical timber's versatile and readily available’. applications and marketability. "The STTC grant is important in our efforts GD Holz has undertaken to provide to transform our current Code of Conduct [on straightforward explanations of the EU Timber sustainable sourcing] into purchasing policy,” Regulation and the EU FLEGT Voluntary said Mr Klaumann. Partnership Agreement initiative, which General Secretary Alberto Romero said Left to right: Andrew Carpenter, CEO STA, combine to block illegal timber from the EU. AEIM’s Action Plan focus from 2017 to 2020 David Hopkins and Iain McIlwee, CEO BWF “Timber legality assurance is the first and would be to ensure accuracy in tropical timber most important element of sustainable proof of origin and to develop guidance and sourcing,” said Head of Foreign Trade Nils support in securing evidence of legal and Olaf Petersen. “It effectively paves the way to sustainable sourcing. De Turck and Bos retire “It’s very important for the Spanish market, increasing supply and demand of sustainably With the incorporation of the Belgian where certified tropical timber demand is still sourced tropical timber.” Timber Importers Federation (BFHI) into low,” said Mr Romero. The German federation also plans to the larger Fedustria organisation, General AEIM is also encouraging use of LKTS, while demonstrate the diversity and versatility Secretary Bart De Turck and Secretary the STTC is collaborating on its March 9 Timber of tropical timber, including LKTS, with a Lieve Bos have decided to retire. special display at the Interzum furniture and in the Bioeconomy symposium (see p2). interiors show among its projects. Details of LCB’s Action Plan will be Mr De Turck has recently been instrumental It aims to tackle popular misconceptions announced soon. in reshaping the BFHI, working towards continuation of its activities within a broader network. He has also 02 Belgian Timber Importers Federation teams up 07 UK led EU mission upbeat on Ghana's FLEGT with Fedustria VPA progress been an active and valued figure in the ETTF. 03 EU trade welcomes first FLEGT-licensed goods 08 Presidents in place at Italian federations Ms Bos worked for the BHFI arrivals 09-10 Viewpoints from Sampsa Auvinen, for over 40 years and was 04 Merger of ETTF and ATIBT legality and business Patrick Baraize, Armand Stockmans and described by Fedustria as the sites creates powerful new online tool Carles Alberch ‘face of the organisation’. 05 World experts on timber building potential at 11-12 Indonesian CSOs support counterparts “Members owe her great Contents Danish Conclave abroad in the FLEGT VPA process. And thanks for her service to the NEPCon unveils LegalSource updates 06 Timber set to benefit from Dutch eco policy timber trade,” Fedustria stated. Bart de Turck See p2 Winter/Spring 2017 01 ETTF News @ettf1 www.ettf.info Belgium, a major trader and importer. A showcase PHOTO: VANDECASTEELE for timber The GD Holz www.holzvomfach.de website has been relaunched to become an even more important part of its timber sector image campaign The German Federation says the Holz vom Fach (Wood from the Pros) brand statement underlines the sector’s service quality commitment, and the site emphasises that this underpins a wide array of products. The new user-friendly and heavily pictorial design enables consumers to quickly navigate the site, and it has sections BFHI teams up with Fedustria dedicated to product families, including The Belgian Timber Importers Federation (BFHI) and Fedustria, the Belgian federation of flooring, doors, garden wood products, textiles, wood and furniture industries, joined forces from the new year. At the same time, decking and cladding. a new Wood Import group was formed within the latter's Wood and Furniture section. There is a heavy stress on timber’s performance and sustainability and information on forestry, certification and The BFHI membership comprised around membership will open up a broad spectrum legality due diligence. 40 companies (importers and agents and of additional services, such as social affairs, The site also links to GD Holz’s ‘Who associated businesses). Between them they environment and technical support." supplies wood’ database, enabling users to turn over €450 million and employ 400 people. BFHI’s working group activities for panels, match products with nearest supplier. Fedustria is a much larger body, formed softwoods and hardwoods will be continued For timber traders it has information on in the 2007 merger of furniture, textile and under the new structure, while topics such training and lists providers. wood federations, Febelbois and Febeltex. as the EUTR, FSC/PEFC certification, CITES, “We’re the voice of an industry comprising customs regulations, statistics and CE- 1,916 companies, with combined turnover marking will be covered by Fedustria experts. of €11.2 billion and a 38,446-strong BFHI representatives will take seats on workforce,” said Fedustria Deputy General the Fedustria board and the latter has also Manager Filip De Jaeger. taken up the BFHI's ETTF membership. The incorporation of BTIF within Fedustria Koen de Witte, CEO of former BFHI was requested by members. member Altripan, welcomed the merger. “The aim was to ensure continuation of "This framework will give us greater their activities in an organisation capable support in adapting to constantly changing of providing the required support," said regulation and working out a level Mr de Jaeger. “Preliminary discussions also playing field in terms of EUTR, responsible revealed that topics and issues relevant to purchasing and quality policy," he said. wood importers were covered by Fedustria, Filip de Jaeger: [email protected] providing continuity. In addition Fedustria Ingrid Hontis: [email protected] Wood sector is key to bioeconomic development AEIM is hosting a special event on Timber and the Bioeconomy. To be held in Madrid on March 9, the day before its General Assembly, the seminar will look at how the wood industry can contribute to and capitalise on this model for sustainable, low carbon development. Alberto Romero at the Spanish “The bioeconomy is a novel concept, pointing to a new economic Assembly approach based on renewable resources, in which wood can AEIM participated in talks with play a key role, especially in sustainable construction,” said the Environment Ministry General Secretary Alberto Romero. The event, in which the European Sustainable Tropical Timber Organisation is a partner, will also look at the role of trade associations in developing ethical and environmental policy. Speakers include Ignacio Ferrero Muñoz, University Belgium on upward curve of Navarra Professor of Business Ethics, and Manuel Lainez Andrés, Director of the National Institute of Agricultural and Food Research and Technology. The Belgian timber and furniture sectors both saw continued AEIM is also now participating in the ‘Together for the Forests’ (Juntos por los growth in the first three quarters of 2016. According to bosques) lobbying platform. This brings together 32 Spanish forestry and Fedustria figures, the wood sector, including panel products, timber bodies to put forward sector development proposals. solid wood construction timber and packaging, increased “We have already