On the afternoon of October 11, 2024, the EUDR – Forestry Network organized an online seminar with the topic How to comply with EUDR – Practical lessons from the timber industry.
The keynote speakers of the seminar were Mr. Trần Lê Huy, Head of the EUDR Taskforce of the Vietnam Timber and Forest Product Association; Mr. Trương Tất Đơ, representative of the Department of Forestry, MARD; and Ms. Đào Thị Thanh Thúy, CEO of Thiên Phát Company. Moderated by Dr. Tô Xuân Phúc, Executive Director of Forest Trends Vietnam, the seminar was successfully held with the participation of nearly 170 delegates from businesses and associations across the country.
At the webinar, the speakers shared valuable lessons from pioneering companies in the wood industry that have implemented EUDR requirements, highlighting both the advantages and challenges, such as the resources needed for compliance. Many companies have prior experience with accountability under the EUTR, hold sustainable forest management certifications, comply with legal timber supply chains, and utilize information technology for traceability. However, on the other hand, some businesses have yet to establish a supply chain information management system and face significant difficulties in tracking the origin of timber materials.
Mr. Trương Tất Đơ, a representative of the Department of Forestry, shared that while there is information suggesting the EU may propose a 12-month delay in the implementation of the EUDR, and its affiliated units are maintaining the pace of developing implementation guidelines and providing support to businesses to ensure compliance with the EUDR requirements on time. During the seminar, the Department of Forestry presented the key content of the draft Interim Guideline Framework for Adapting to EUDR for the wood and wood products industry. This framework focuses on actions businesses should take, the documentation required, and the commitments necessary to meet EUDR standards.
The seminar's discussion session centered on three key topics: (i) determining land legality, especially for large forest plantation areas lacking land use certificates, lease agreements, or allocation contracts; (ii) methods for businesses to identify plantation coordinates and provide evidence for EU importers; and (iii) the responsibilities of intermediaries in the supply chain to ensure compliance with EUDR. Participants also explored solutions to enhance supply chain transparency, such as verifying whether actual harvest volumes match declared figures, and assessed the capacity of products like wood pellets to meet EUDR requirements.
Please review webinar documents at the link and watch the full webinar recording below:
If you have any questions or feedback, please do not hesitate to contact us at: hathuckpt@gmail.com
No thoughts shared yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!