For the second time after its launch in 2016 the Timber Trade Portal has updated its country profiles and other background information. Each profile provides extensive country specific information on both timber industry and related timber legislation. The complete Timber Trade Portal is now also available in French for our francophone readers.

The republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) definitively adopted law n° 33-2020 on a new forest code on July 8, 2020. This new law is under discussion since 2018 and was still under debate in the National Assembly in April 2020. The new forest code introduces new concepts like certification, verification of legality, consideration of riversides communities, deforestation and reforestation, the fight against climate change, carbon credits, etc.

Vietnam’s National Assembly ratified a free trade agreement with the European Union on Monday 8 June 2020. This will have a significant impact on the development of the timber export industry and provides Vietnam with an incentive to implement its timber legality assurance system.

In April 2020, the Committee of Natural Resources, Property and Land Regulations in the Duma (the Parliament of Russia) proposed an innovative bill intended "to make the forest industry absolutely transparent”, according to Deputy Chairman Nikolay Nikolaev. The move aims to improve regulations related to the timber trade, and to tackle wood trafficking, but it also affects aspects of forest control. Public discussion of the proposal was initiated earlier in February.

The Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) recently published the Technical Note N° 04/2020 that offers detailed guidance on authorizations and mandatory licenses for the export of timber and timber products. Through this new Technical Note, IBAMA demonstrates environmental control throughout the whole supply chain of timber and timber products.

IMM published its newsletter of May 2020 touching upon a range of timber sector relevant news, including recent timber trade trends and company surveys on FLEGT licensing and awareness.