WoodCentral’s Post

🌍 The EU’s €1.5B Lie: Illegal Russian Timber Is Everywhere in Europe! 🪵 A m new report by Earthsight reveals that over €1.5 billion worth of illegal Russian timber has flooded the European Union since mid-2022, undermining sanctions and raising serious ethical concerns. This extensive investigation highlights the alarming ease with which smugglers are able to launder plywood through third-party countries and into the EU market. 🔎 Key Highlights: 1️⃣ Widespread Smuggling: The report indicates that all 27 EU member states are implicated, with an estimated 500,000 cubic meters of Russian timber entering Europe. This timber, often labeled as "blood timber," is being sold in various consumer products, from flooring to furniture, effectively making a mockery of international sanctions. 2️⃣ Complicit Companies: Earthsight's investigation caught numerous European companies on camera and in conversations admitting to the illegality of their practices. Notably, these firms are supplying some of the biggest names in the industry, including manufacturers for the upcoming Paris Olympics, raising questions about corporate responsibility and compliance. 3️⃣ Call for Action: Earthsight warns that current enforcement efforts are inadequate, with Brussels failing to coordinate national responses effectively. The organization advocates for amendments to sanctions that would include goods manufactured with Russian timber sourced from third countries, closing existing loopholes and enhancing enforcement capabilities. 🤔 #questionforgroup: How can the EU strengthen its regulatory framework to prevent the importation of illegal timber? What role do businesses play in ensuring ethical sourcing and compliance with international laws? 🔗 To read more about the findings of Earthsight and the implications for the timber market in Europe, click here: https://lnkd.in/gcpidvQ9 #illegaltimber #sustainability #environmentalethics #timbertrade #euregulations #corporateresponsibility #earthsight #forestprotection #supplychaintransparency #globaltrade #timberfraud #sanctions #ethicalsourcing #forestconservation #environmentalpolicy #tradecompliance #businessethics #deforestation #marketaccountability #internationallaw

🚨 Dutch Raid: Traders Smuggle Russian Timber into the EU via China! 🇳🇱 Dutch authorities have arrested two business owners accused of smuggling Russian timber into the EU via China. This crackdown is part of an EU-wide effort to enforce sanctions and prevent conflict timber from entering the market. 🔍 Why This Matters: 1️⃣ Strengthened Enforcement: Under new laws approved by the European Commission, timber trafficking is now prosecuted as a criminal offence. The FIOD, INTERPOL, and EU member states are actively working to catch traders pushing illegal and deforested timbers. 2️⃣ High-Risk Trade Routes: The Port of Rotterdam, Europe’s second-largest importer of timber-based products, is a central hub for timber distribution. Last year, over 120 million tons of timber in Europe had no official certificate of origin, much of it from Russia via China and other countries. 3️⃣ Economic and Environmental Impact: Russian President Vladimir Putin and oligarchs like Alexey Mordashov have profited from selling timber into Western markets despite sanctions. The recent sting and ongoing investigations highlight the extensive network of conflict timber trade and its economic and environmental repercussions. 🪵 The arrests involving a man (73) and a woman (46) will be tried under the Netherlands Sanctions Act and the Economic Offences Act. This follows other significant seizures, such as German customs officials confiscating €40 million of Russian timber bound for the US in April. 🔗 To learn more about the Netherlands' role in the fight against deforestation and conflict timber, visit Wood Central’s special feature: https://lnkd.in/gQGKQvEB 🗣️ #questionforgroup: How can the international community better collaborate to prevent the smuggling of conflict timber? Share your thoughts and strategies below! #timbersmuggling #conflicttimber #environmentalcompliance #sanctions #deforestaion #crime #traffiking #eu #eudr #woodcentral #sustainableforestry #globaltrade #enforcement #environmentalprotection #portofrotterdam #fiod #interpol #russia #russiawar #ukrainewar #logging #lumber #china #woodcentralau1 #fsc #pefc #fsccertified #pefccertified

🚨 Dutch Raid: Traders Smuggle Russian Timber into the EU via China! 🇳🇱 Dutch authorities have arrested two business owners accused of smuggling Russian timber into the EU via China. This crackdown is part of an EU-wide effort to enforce sanctions and prevent conflict timber from entering the market. 🔍 Why This Matters: 1️⃣ Strengthened Enforcement: Under new laws approved by the European Commission, timber trafficking is now prosecuted as a criminal offence. The FIOD, INTERPOL, and EU member states are actively working to catch traders pushing illegal and deforested timbers. 2️⃣ High-Risk Trade Routes: The Port of Rotterdam, Europe’s second-largest importer of timber-based products, is a central hub for timber distribution. Last year, over 120 million tons of timber in Europe had no official certificate of origin, much of it from Russia via China and other countries. 3️⃣ Economic and Environmental Impact: Russian President Vladimir Putin and oligarchs like Alexey Mordashov have profited from selling timber into Western markets despite sanctions. The recent sting and ongoing investigations highlight the extensive network of conflict timber trade and its economic and environmental repercussions. 🪵 The arrests involving a man (73) and a woman (46) will be tried under the Netherlands Sanctions Act and the Economic Offences Act. This follows other significant seizures, such as German customs officials confiscating €40 million of Russian timber bound for the US in April. 🔗 To learn more about the Netherlands' role in the fight against deforestation and conflict timber, visit Wood Central’s special feature: https://lnkd.in/gQGKQvEB 🗣️ #questionforgroup: How can the international community better collaborate to prevent the smuggling of conflict timber? Share your thoughts and strategies below! #timbersmuggling #conflicttimber #environmentalcompliance #sanctions #deforestaion #crime #traffiking #eu #eudr #woodcentral #sustainableforestry #globaltrade #enforcement #environmentalprotection #portofrotterdam #fiod #interpol #russia #russiawar #ukrainewar #logging #lumber #china #woodcentralau1 #fsc #pefc #fsccertified #pefccertified

Continued and successful collaboration between the #europeanunion Export Control Programme for Dual-Use Goods #EUP2P in Southeast Asia - EU Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (#cbrn) Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence initiative (#coe) and its international partners for the management of international trade in strategic goods and technologies. From the 19 to 21 June 2024, the #EUP2P, the U.S. Department of State, Export Control and Border Security (#EXBS) Program, the #Korean Security Agency of Trade and Industry (#KOSTI) and #VietNam Ministry of National Defence jointly organized the sixth consultative workshop on the « dual-use trade control legal framework and structures for Viet Nam’s prevention of weapons of mass destruction proliferation ». The participants were first introduced to the principles and mechanisms of the licensing process in controlling the goods and licensing through the presentations of different systems in use in the Philippines, the Republic of Korea and in various EU member states. They exchanged on the challenges in the implementation of strategic trade management laws and good practices for adressing these effectively. This was followed by a presentation of different models of #dualuse control list, their rationale, implementation, challenges and good practices. The future actors of the Vietnamese strategic trade management system will now formulate informed orientations on the structure of the national dual-use control list and the licensing authority(ies). The national stakeholders then received in-depth technical information on counter-proliferation finance norms and good practices and discussed the operational framework and processes currently in place in Viet Nam. The group finally reviewed subsequenstly the draft of the « Law on preventing and combating the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and on the control of related items » with a view to incoroporate the outcomes of their discussions on dual-use good's trade management and counter-proliferation finance. #strategictradecontrols #internationaltrade #EUForeignPolicy  #fpi #exportcontrols  #InternationalSecurity #Science #Technology #EUForeignPolicy  European External Action Service European Commission EU CBRN Centres of Excellence Projects / Expertise France  Balazs Maar Maria Rosa Sabbatelli  Matjaz Murovec Ana Sánchez Cobaleda Jay P. Nash Michele Montemurro Matiada NGALIKPIMA Xavier COUSQUER Olivier Sublard Tassos Coulaloglou Scott Spence Rory Alexander Hamilton  Giuseppe Di Luccia eric howell Jeanette Moss Krona Sophie Louette Min Woo Jie Susan King

Belarus: new EU restrictive measures target #trade, #services, #transport and #anticircumvention. 🚨 Published on June 3️⃣0️⃣ 2024. Reg. (EU) 2024/1865 of 29 June 2024 by Council of the European Union 🛑ANTI-CIRCUMVENTION 👉Brand New so-called '#noBelarus #clause' 👉Implemented #due #diligence #mechanisms 👉#EU Parent company #reasonability for #thirdCountry #subsidiaries 🛑TRADE MEASURES: 👉enhanced #export ban on #dualuse/advanced goods and technologies, #new export #restrictions (e.g. Annex XVIII) 👉Further restrictions on exports to Belarus of #maritime #navigation goods and #technologies, and #luxury #goods. 👉new export ban on goods and technologies suitable for use in #oil #refining and the liquefaction of natural #gas 👉⤵️ #import ban of #gold, #diamonds from Belarus, as well as #helium, #coal and #mineral products (crude oil). 👉#Transit extended prohibitions 🛑SERVICES 👉Regulation is now #prohibiting the #provision of #services to Belarus (#accounting services, #auditing services, #tax & #legal consultancy, #IT, etc)👔 🛑TRANSPORT 👉🚛 New BAN on EU #road #transport operators which are owned for 2️⃣5️⃣% or more by a Belarusian. https://lnkd.in/dEnHBe5e

Taiwan fifth-largest buyer of Russian coal: foundation - Taipei Times Taiwan has become the fifth-largest buyer of Russian coal, Taiwan’s Environmental Rights Foundation and other international organizations said, calling for corporations to stop purchasing coal from Russia and contributing to revenue the Russian government is using in its war in Ukraine. Taiwan’s reliance on Russian coal increased by 31 percent last year, a report released yesterday by the foundation in collaboration with the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air and civic group Ecodefense showed. The report requested that the Taiwanese government abide by the international community’s economic sanctions against Russia and conduct a thorough investigation into the secretive channels of coal shipment from Russia. https://lnkd.in/g6eTqK-m

📈 85% of Russia's Logs Are Sent to China—Where Do They End Up? 🪵 New data obtained by #russia and #china #customs officials reveals that more than 85% of Russian logs are now exported primarily to China, signalling profound implications for global supply chains and sanctions compliance. 🔍 Why This Matters: 1️⃣ Sanctions Circumvention: As the EU imposes strict sanctions on Russian and Belarusian forest products, China acts as a pivotal "launching point" for these logs, potentially rerouting them into broader markets, including the EU. 2️⃣ Shift in Trade Patterns: The data reveals that while overall Russian log exports have declined, there's a significant increase in shipments to a "gang of eight" countries, including Belarus, Iran, and several Central Asian nations, which continue to trade despite global sanctions. 3️⃣ Supply Chain Implications: The redistribution of Russian timber through these channels could have far-reaching effects on global wood supply, impacting prices and availability worldwide. 🌐 This complex network of trade, facilitated by significant transport routes like the Baikal–Amur Mainline, underscores the challenges in enforcing international sanctions and the adaptability of global trade networks. 🔗 Dive deeper into this issue and explore these logs' potential destinations and uses within the global market. https://lnkd.in/gNgTpU-b 🗣️ #questionforgroup: Given the strategic redistribution of Russian timber, what measures can be taken to ensure compliance with international sanctions while maintaining the stability of global supply chains? Share your thoughts! #globaltrade #sanctions #timbertrade #trade #logs #forestry #forests #wood #supplychain #exports #lumber #woodcentral #woodcentralau1 #globaltrade #compliance #plywood #belarus #iran #standbyukraine #ukrainewar #russiawar #putin #georgia, #tajikistan #kazakhstan #uzbekistan #kyrgyzstan

🚨 Turkey & India Caught Out in Global Crackdown on Illegal Timber 🪵 Teak worth millions hidden under bamboo! The global crackdown on illegal timber trade intensifies as Turkey and India are caught bypassing sanctions and regulations. 🔍 Key Insights: 1️⃣ Latvian Action: The Latvian State Forest Service has fined a company €10,000 for attempting to import birch plywood from Turkey, alleging it originated in Russia. This breach of the EU Timber Regulation underscores the ongoing efforts to prevent illegal timber from entering European markets. 2️⃣ Russian Influence: Russian oligarchs continue to control global plywood supply chains, using the profits to finance the war in Ukraine. Importing timber from Russia or Belarus remains prohibited under EU sanctions, and companies must ensure their products do not contain raw materials from these regions. 3️⃣ Indian Smuggling Network: The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) reports a 15-fold surge in Burmese teak imports from India to the EU and the US, despite sanctions on Myanmar Timber Enterprise (MTE). High-profile seizures in India, including teak hidden under coal sacks and bamboo, highlight the scale and complexity of the illicit trade. 🌐The illegal timber trade, particularly involving high-value species like Burmese teak, poses significant challenges for global supply chains. The involvement of smugglers and corrupt traders across multiple countries necessitates robust measures and international cooperation to combat this issue. ⚠️ As law enforcement agencies continue their efforts, the persistence of smuggling activities indicates the need for more robust regulatory frameworks and global collaboration. Ensuring compliance with sanctions and regulations is crucial to curbing the illegal timber trade and protecting vulnerable forests. 🔗 Learn more about the global crackdown on illegal timber and its implications: https://lnkd.in/gK9_xraV 🗣️ #questionforgroup: How can international cooperation be strengthened to combat illegal timber trade effectively? What measures can companies adopt to ensure compliance with regulations and prevent the use of illicit timber in their supply chains? Share your thoughts and insights. 💬 Join the conversation on combating illegal timber trade, ensuring regulatory compliance, and protecting global forests. #illegaltimber #conflicttimber #crackdown #woodcentral #supplychain #compliance #teak #pallets #eude #woodcentralau1 #greendeal #deforestation #teak #russia #sanctions #eu

📈 85% of Russia's Logs Are Sent to China—Where Do They End Up? 🪵 New data obtained by #russia and #china #customs officials reveals that more than 85% of Russian logs are now exported primarily to China, signalling profound implications for global supply chains and sanctions compliance. 🔍 Why This Matters: 1️⃣ Sanctions Circumvention: As the EU imposes strict sanctions on Russian and Belarusian forest products, China acts as a pivotal "launching point" for these logs, potentially rerouting them into broader markets, including the EU. 2️⃣ Shift in Trade Patterns: The data reveals that while overall Russian log exports have declined, there's a significant increase in shipments to a "gang of eight" countries, including Belarus, Iran, and several Central Asian nations, which continue to trade despite global sanctions. 3️⃣ Supply Chain Implications: The redistribution of Russian timber through these channels could have far-reaching effects on global wood supply, impacting prices and availability worldwide. 🌐 This complex network of trade, facilitated by significant transport routes like the Baikal–Amur Mainline, underscores the challenges in enforcing international sanctions and the adaptability of global trade networks. 🔗 Dive deeper into this issue and explore these logs' potential destinations and uses within the global market. https://lnkd.in/gMTb3pgP 🗣️ #questionforgroup: Given the strategic redistribution of Russian timber, what measures can be taken to ensure compliance with international sanctions while maintaining the stability of global supply chains? Share your thoughts! #globaltrade #sanctions #timbertrade #trade #logs #forestry #forests #wood #supplychain #exports #lumber #woodcentral #woodcentralau1 #globaltrade #compliance #plywood #belarus #iran #standbyukraine #ukrainewar #russiawar #putin #georgia, #tajikistan #kazakhstan #uzbekistan #kyrgyzstan

International disputes International disputes refer to conflicts between states or international actors, often arising from territorial claims, resource allocation, trade issues, or political differences. These disputes can lead to diplomatic tensions, military confrontations, or legal challenges in international courts. Key types of international disputes include: Territorial Disputes: Conflicts over land or maritime boundaries (e.g., the South China Sea). Resource Disputes: Contention over natural resources like water, oil, or minerals (e.g., Nile River basin). Trade Disputes: Conflicts arising from trade policies, tariffs, or sanctions (e.g., U.S.-China trade tensions). Ethnic or National Conflicts: Disputes involving ethnic groups or nations seeking autonomy or independence (e.g., the Israeli-Palestinian conflict). Human Rights Issues: Conflicts over human rights violations that may lead to international intervention or sanctions. Resolution mechanisms include diplomatic negotiations, mediation, arbitration, and adjudication by international courts like the International Court of Justice (ICJ).