International Seminar on Goho-wood 2012,
Part II The Significance and Challenges of the Japanese Timber Legality Verification System from anInternational Perspective

Comment Sheet (revised)Name

Luo xinjian

Title

Associate Researcher

Organization

Chinese Academy of Forestry

Country

China

Outline of the Organization
Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAF) was founded in 1958 based on the former Central ResearchInstitute of Forestry established in 1953.The academy now has 4,476 staff workers, The academy isactive in academic exchanges and has established cooperative relation with more than 20 national andinternational organizations.

Basic Policies of the organization on illegal logging issues and its activities
Chinese commitment to international initiatives to combat illegal logging and associated trade

EU-China Bilateral Coordination Mechanism on Forest Law Enforcement andGovernanceSigned in 2009, start implementing in 2010,EU-China BCM on FLEG is a forum for:-policy dialogue-information exchange-consideration of possible shared approach in combating illegal logging and associated trade
Timber Legality Verification Schemes
A research program of Chinese Academy of Forestry in collaboration with ProForest running fromOctober 2009 -July 2011, co-funded by UK DFID, DEFRA and SFA.
Aim: to provide detailed proposals to the Chinese Government on the establishment of a practicaltimber legality verification scheme.
Key activities:
Analysis of market requirements for legal timber and timber productsComparative study on existing timber legality verification schemes
Draft recommendations on timber legality verification schemes
Pilot testing using the draft legality verification schemes
Stakeholder consultation
Development of policy recommendations
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International Seminar on Goho-wood 2012,
Part II The Significance and Challenges of the Japanese Timber Legality Verification System from anInternational Perspective

Green Public Procurement of Timber
In October 2006, the Ministry of Finance and State Environmental Protection Agency (now Ministryof Environmental Protection) jointly released a “Public Procurement List of Environmental LabelProducts”

Currently 24 product types, include wood-based panel, wooden flooring and furniture
Are recognized to be included in a legality framework for domestic sources and sustainability forimported sources.

Dynamics in the Private Sector
Chain of Custody certificate holder: FSC 1393, PEFC 102, CFCC (piloting, expecting 20 in 2010)
GFTN China: 27 members; 7,993,732 m3
WWF China Green Wood Initiatives
TFT/TTAP: various supply chains identified by EU buyers; one international supply chain obtained
third party verification
China National Forest Products Industry Association (CNFPIA) “Code of Conduct” –Guide to Due
Diligence on Wood Origin and Legality

FPI network
This year under the support of Chinese State Forestry Administration, a network which involved
Government, Associations, enterprises and research institute named Forest Products Index Mechanism(FPI) was launched. One of its main activities is to haveperiodic dialogs between government

agencies and timber enterprises, associations and research institutes. At present, the main topic underdiscussion is the issue of verifying the legal timber trading system and related training for enterprises.

Topics1 General Evaluation of Japan’s Action for illegal logging issue
The Japan Federation of Wood Industry Associations has made considerable efforts topush forward

the legal timber verification system in Japan. If there was information on the operationalization ofthis system for domestic as well as imported timber and how much wood is traded under the systemcompared to the total volume of wood traded in japan then a good assessment of the system would bepossible. In particular it would be very informative to learn how the system deals with imported wood42International Seminar on Goho-wood 2012,
Part II The Significance and Challenges of the Japanese Timber Legality Verification System from anInternational Perspectiveproducts.
Since it is a new and complicated system, it will take time for people of all levels to understand andsupport the system. The Chinese Forestry Industry Association is now trying to push forward aChinese Legal timber verification system., I believe there are some experiences that Japan Federationof Wood Industry Assoc. can share with Chinese Forestry Industry Association
It is important for all countries introducing procurement policies to inform supply countries and tonegotiate with them on timing of implementing any new regulations and to also provide technical andmaterial assistance to all supply countries on how to establish a TLAS.
It will take several years for supply countries to be ready.
For example the FLEGT which has taken many years to get ready and still countries are not readyeven with help from the EU.

Topics2 Possibility of Activities of Industry Associations for illegal logging issue inthe context of Goho-wood
The Chinese forestry industry associations are trying to agree a timber legality verification system forpiloting in November this year.
The problem is a timber legality verification system will increase the costs of the timber processing
enterprises. This will be a particular burden for the small and medium sized forestry enterprises. As
such the success of a timber legality verification system needs government, associations andenterprise to cooperate with each other in a way that has not been achieved in the past.
Especially at the early stages of implementation the government and associations need to provide
more assistance to enterprises.

43International Seminar on Goho-wood 2012,
Part II The Significance and Challenges of the Japanese Timber Legality Verification System from anInternational Perspective

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