European Parliament Bans Illegal Timber

08.07.2010 BBC

The European Parliament has voted to ban imports of illegal timber.

From 2012, companies importing timber will need to prove where it came from, and will face legal sanctions if they do not comply with the new law.

The vote follows several years of wrangling over how stringent the legislation should be.

Campaigners say they are pleased that the issue is to be addressed at last. About 20% of timber coming into the EU is thought to be illegal.

The illegal timber trade plays a significant part in the deforestation of some tropical countries.

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