Russia
Key documents required for timber legality and trade of Russia
CONTENT UNDER REVISION
The below-listed key documents are based on the applicable legislation and are considered to play a key role in demonstrating legal origin. A full list of applicable legislation is also accessible from NEPCon’s Russia Timber Risk Profile.
Harvesting
| Key document | Explanation | Legal authority | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lease agreement (Concession license) | Rights for the commercial harvesting of forests resources (e.g. timber) within a particular forest area (Forest management unit - FMU) allocated to a company for a period of 10 to 49 years. | Regional Forestry Agency (RFA) | |
| Project of Forest Use | Official mandatory forest management plan for the leased FMU for a period not exceeding 10 years. | Submitted by the Forest User and endorsed by the RFA after passing a procedure of “state expertise” | |
| Forest declaration | Annual declaration confirming that harvesting is carried out according to the Project of Forest Use and the Lease agreement. | Submitted by the Forest User and approved by the RFA | |
| Forest stand purchase agreement | License for (short term) roundwood harvesting, valid for a period of maximum one year. | Regional Forestry Agency (RFA) | |
| Technical map | Internal, but mandatory document to have, describing the harvesting operation (e.g. volume and types of trees, harvesting method (clear or selective cutting), protection measures for key biotopes and/or rare spp. (if any) on the particular harvesting site (lesoseka). | Submitted by the Forest User (no official approval is required) | |
| Inspection report | The post-felling inspection (only if the FMU was sampled for inspection) aims to check whether felling complied with the conditions and timeframes specified in forest rent agreement(s). | Regional Forest Management Division (RFMD) | |
| Accompanying document for transportation of wood | Accompanying document, to transport timber from the forest to the landing or sawmill. | Submitted by the holder of round timber (Forest User or trader) (no official approval is required) | |
| Forest use report | Report including volumes of commercial timber specified in felling agreements and actual volumes of harvested timber for each felling site. | Submitted by the Forest User to, and approved by the Regional Forest Management Division (RFMD) |
Processing & Trade
| Key document | Explanation | Legal authority | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customs declaration | A mandatory form that includes data about products (e.g. custom identification code, volume, cost), seller (exporter) and customer (importer) (e.g. name, address), point of shipment and destination (delivery), etc. | Submitted by the exporter to, and approved by Customs authorities | |
| Invoice (export) or schet-phaktura (local market), and delivery note or specification | Mandatory document, pursuant to State regulation of trading activities, No.381-FZ, adopted 29.12.2009. | Submitted by the seller to the buyer |