Text tabled : A7-0149/2010

  João Ferreira (GUE/NGL), in writing. – (PT) The proposal for a regulation is aimed at establishing obligations for operators who supply the market with timber and timber products. We understand the need to preserve forest resources, ensuring their reasonable and sustainable exploitation and the maintenance of biodiversity in our woods and forests. However, the report raises some concerns in relation to the implementation of procedures in the Member States. In view of the diversity that exists in different countries, such as in the size of property, in some cases, regulation will prove to be unfeasible and will result in high costs. There are also still doubts about the idea of destroying illegal timber, and there is no consensus, bearing in mind that national legislation on appropriate regulation is already in place, as in Portugal, where certain forest species are protected by law, and culling requires special permission.

This, as well as its failure to add anything that is substantially new to the protection of forest resources, means that this regulation may create constraints on forestry in countries like Portugal that could affect many small and medium-sized enterprises. The problem of failure to control timber from third countries still persists, and needs to be resolved.