How will companies be able to benefit from PEFC under the EU Deforestation Regulation?

4 May 2023 EU Deforestation Regulation

In our recent PEFC webinar, we presented the new EU Deforestation Regulation and PEFC’s related work. We invite you to view the recording, which addresses three important areas. In our second micro topic, learn how companies can take advantage of PEFC certification to demonstrate compliance with the new Regulation.

“PEFC is already well-aligned with the EU Deforestation Regulation,” said Thorsten Arndt, Head of Communications at PEFC International. 

“There are a couple of areas where PEFC will undertake further work to ensure full alignment, but so far we are optimistic that this will not be a major issue, according to a gap assessment undertaken by PEFC.”

While further guidance concerning the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation is not yet available, the requirements of the Regulation mirror to some extent the requirements of the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) and add additional requirements.

These appear to pick up on a comprehensive set of criteria used in a recent study by the European Commission that compared and contrasted what certification and verification systems deliver within the context of the EUTR.

The PEFC gap assessment was therefore based on the EUTR requirements, in conjunction with the criteria included in the European Commission’s study.

“The study found that PEFC was already well aligned with EUTR, though it also identified a few areas for potential improvement,” Thorsten outlined.

PEFC addressed these areas through Chain of Custody of Forest and Tree Based Products and Related Standards – Guidance for Use (PEFC GD 2001). PEFC is therefore looking at addressing requirements that were neither included in the EUTR nor the study. There are essentially three areas where further work will be done to ensure full alignment, also with support of additional information and guidance from the EU. Further understanding of these areas - human rights, geolocation of forest areas, and deforestation-free - also represent a potential for strengthening the PEFC system. 

By addressing these issues, PEFC will bring an important advantage to companies, by being well positioned to ensure under the EUDR that the adequately conclusive and verifiable information that material is deforestation-free and in compliance with the legislation will be available for the PEFC certified material.