The legislation will be close to that of the US LACEY ACT (as amended in May 2008), and should be an incentive for traders in Europe to follow some requirements including a DUE DILIGENCE SYSTEM designed to reduce the risk of trading in illegal wood.

A key point of the new agreed text is to the effect that certain RISK MITIGATION systems will not be required were there is a NEGLIGIBLE RISK of illegal logging, and also that timber and timber products subject to FLEGT and VPAs will not be subject to additional requirements.

Also important is that the new text, which should be formally accepted into European law in September, clarifies that independent certification or third party schemes can be used in the RISK ASSESSMENT.

CITES listed species are excluded from any additional measure under the next text.