On March 26, the Gia Lai Provincial Forest Protection Department said it was coordinating to propagate the European Union (EUDR) Regulations on export and import of products that do not cause deforestation or forest degradation.
EUDR applies to 7 product lines: Livestock, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy and wood, and products processed from this material.
The regulation requires strict traceability and accountability in the supply chain before entering the European market.
Mr. Truong Thanh Ha - Acting Head of the Gia Lai Forest Protection Department - said that the province has a large forest area, an important raw material area of the Central Highlands, with many wood processing and exporting enterprises. Therefore, to avoid being returned or violating the contract, businesses need to carefully research EUDR.
The supply chain of wood and agricultural products for export includes the following steps: Forest planting, exploitation, processing, distribution and consumption. Enterprises that want to export to Europe must ensure production complies with the law.
People and businesses are not allowed to grow on illegal land or cause forest degradation.
owners of export shipments must clearly understand the forest lot coordinates, forest purchase contracts from people and documents proving the legal origin of the land, and not encroach or damage the forest. The enterprise is responsible for legal documents related to shipment information and addresses.
Mr. Tran Van Hoai - owner of a luxury wood furniture export enterprise in Gia Lai - commented: "This regulation of the European Union aims to minimize negative impacts on the environment, climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. Enterprises need to carefully assess the source of raw materials and not buy wood from "brokers" for illegal exploitation and encroachment on forests.
From exploitation to consumption, everything must be legal and have a clear origin if you want to do business long-term in a demanding market like Europe.
To meet EUDR, the functional sector of Gia Lai province needs to prepare sufficient data such as forest maps, land use status and supply chain management mechanisms, ensuring the ability to explain and prove according to international partner requirements.
