EU timber industry drawing on log quota to a greater degree

Companies in the timber industries in the countries of the EU are drawing on the quota under which Russian softwood logs can be imported into the EU at reduced rate of customs duty to a greater degree than last year.

According to information from the EU Directorate General for Trade (DG Trade), the appropriate authorities had issued permits for a total of 1.813m m³ by 5 August; this equates to growth of 63%. Traditional importers were given approval for imports of 951,114 m³ of pine logs in the first half-year; the total approved volume is 171% higher than that of last year. As such, they have so far drawn on 37% of the total 2.552m m³ quota. So-called new importers have received permits for importing 678,647 m³ of pine logs, 62% of the total quota of 1.094m m³. Traditional and new importers located in the EU have already been issued with permits for importing a total of 183.696 m³ in the second half-year. No importers had applied for or received import permits in the same period of last year.

Information provided according to http://www.euwid-wood-products.com