On 11 October 2010 the European Parliament cleared its final legislative hurdle and banned imports of illegal timber. It followed its overwhelming approval of a July proposal to crack down on illegal timber, and a vote of 644-25 in favor of a EU Regulation on Illegal Logging.

"WWF's Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN) welcomes this development and looks forward to the day on which Europe is no longer a market for illegal timber. For too long, those striving to operate responsibly, such as companies participating in the GFTN, have been forced to compete on an uneven playing field against less scrupulous operators,” said George White, Head of the GFTN.

“The passing of this Regulation sends a strong message to forest managers, forest communities and governments worldwide that their efforts to act responsibly and within the law is appreciated and now needed within this major market,” he added.

The necessity for stringent EU legislation against the trade in illegal timber is reinforced by the rising demand for wood and wood derivates. The United Nations recently calculated that the European call for paper in 2030 would exceed the current demand by 80%.

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