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| 2006/12/21
| Africa going for PEFC
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| PEFC Council: The first ever African national standard, the Pan African Forest Certification System PAFC Gabon, has been submitted to the PEFC Council for international endorsement. Before the first Okoume timber logs, one of Gabon?s most important tropical timber species, can be sold with the PEFC label, independent consultants will assess the Gabonese system against PEFC?s benchmark requirements. Part of the assessment is a public consultation period, during which all interested individuals and organisations can comment on the PAFC Gabon system.
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| 2006/12/21
| Italian Poplar Plantation Standard up for public consultation
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| PEFC Council: PEFC Italia has applied for PEFC endorsement of its new standard for Poplar Plantation Management. The standard?s conformity with PEFC requirements is currently being assessed by an independent assessor. Part of the assessment is an international public consultation period during which comments on the standard are solicited from the general public. The public consultation starts today and all interested stakeholders and individuals are invited to send their comments directly to the assessor by 19 February 2007.
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| 2006/12/18
| UK Government confirms PEFC as source of legal and sustainable timber
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| PEFC Council: The UK Government today confirmed that PEFC sustainable forest management certification provided an assurance that its certified timber-based products originated from legal and sustainable sources. The government has signalled its preference for certified timber products in its own timber procurement policy and recommends consumers make the same responsible choice. The announcement follows a detailed assessment of forest certification systems by the Government?s Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET).
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| 2006/12/08
| PEFC takes leadership role in the continuous improvement of forest certification - Czech Republic and France gain PEFC re-endorsement
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| PEFC Council: The national forest certification systems of the Czech Republic and France have been re-endorsed for a second 5 year period by the PEFC Council. Regular reviews and re-assessments of national certification systems are an integral part of PEFC?s benchmark and continuous improvement process. This process ensures that latest scientific knowledge is incorporated and the same high level of PEFC standards is adhered to in all countries.
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| 2006/11/08
| PEFC launches new mandatory guide for the avoidance of controversial timber
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| PEFC Council: To help timber and paper companies prevent wood from controversial sources finding its way into their products, the PEFC Council has published a new mandatory guide for the Avoidance of Controversial Sources. The guide introduces safeguard mechanisms against procuring illegally logged wood and complements the international PEFC Chain of Custody wood tracking system.
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| 2006/10/30
| PEFC General Assembly sets stage for the future - Increasing Market Acceptance for Forest Certification a Priority
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| PEFC Council: ?Having established the world?s largest resource and availability of certified wood, PEFC will focus on market acceptance of certified products?, said Mr Mike Clark, the newly elected Chairman of the PEFC Council. National delegations of 31 member countries from six continents, representatives of environmental organisations, trade unions, international organizations and invited guests met for the PEFC Council?s 10th General Assembly at the World Forestry Centre in Portand, Oregon, USA, on 26 to 28 October 2006.
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| 2006/10/20
| PEFC Austria re-endorsed - PEFC Council?s benchmark process demonstrates its effectiveness
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| PEFC Council: The Austrian forest certification system has gained re-endorsement by the PEFC Council. An independent assessor has analysed the system and found it to be compliant with PEFC?s international benchmark requirements. ?We are delighted that our endeavours to further develop the Austrian certification system have now secured us continuing PEFC endorsement for a second 5-year period?, said Mr Martin H?barth, Chairman of PEFC Austria. ?The process prior to the endorsement and the changes made to the Austrian system, show that PEFC?s rigorous benchmark system is working?, said Mr Ben Gunneberg, Secretary General of the PEFC Council.
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| 2006/09/15
| Russian forest certification initiatives sign historic agreement
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| PEFC Council: The two national initiatives for forest certification in Russia have decided to come together under the PEFC Council. The chairmen of the two national certification councils operating in Russia have signed a founding document establishing a national umbrella organization to represent both systems in PEFC. The PEFC Board of Directors today announced that it will recommend the PEFC Council General Assembly in October to transfer the Russian membership to the new organisation. Both initiatives have revealed that they will submit their certification systems for PEFC endorsement in due course.
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| 2006/07/18
| Polish certification system operational - seeks PEFC endorsement
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| PEFC Council: The Polish PEFC certification system has been submitted to the PEFC Council for endorsement and is undergoing the international public consultation period. Savcor Indufor Oy has been appointed as external consultancy to independently assess whether the national system complies with the PEFC benchmark requirements. The public consultation period starts today and all members of the general public are invited to comment on the system and its documentation, which is available at the PEFC Council website www.pefc.org.
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| 2006/07/14
| PEFC Czech Republic undergoes public consultation in continuous improvement process
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| PEFC Council: The Czech forest certification scheme is undergoing public consultation as part of PEFC?s re-endorsement process for a second 5 year period. ?Periodic assessments before re-endorsement are central elements in PEFC?s commitment to the principle of continuous improvement?, said Mr Ben Gunneberg, Secretary General of the PEFC Council. ?PEFC has in place a system of rigorous internal and external assessment procedures before an endorsement and this benchmark check is repeated at regular intervals.? The procedures ensure that latest scientific research, new PEFC requirements and practical experience from the field are systematically implemented at national, regional and local level.
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| 2006/06/30
| Fully revised Austrian system undergoes public consultation
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| PEFC Council: The national forest certification system for Austria has been fully revised and an independent consultant is currently assessing whether the system conforms with all PEFC benchmark requirements. Part of the assessment is an international public consultation period for two months during which the consultants considers comments from all interested individuals and organisations globally.
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| 2006/05/30
| Independent assessments of national systems of France and Slovenia
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| PEFC Council: Two national forest certification systems, namely those of France and Slovenia, have been submitted to the PEFC Council for endorsement. Independent consultants will asses the two systems against the international PEFC Council benchmark requirements for forest certification schemes. Part of the assessment is a 60-days international public consultation period, starting today, during which the general public is invited to comment on the two systems.
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| 2006/04/28
| PEFC Austria scheme undergoes further revision
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| PEFC Council: At its meeting on 27th April 2006, the PEFC Council Board of Directors decided not to recommend re-endorsement of the Austrian Forest Certification Scheme to the General Assembly due to some remaining issues identified during the re-assessment of the scheme. The Board has decided to limit the validity of the current endorsement of the Austrian forest certification system to 30th November 2006, with the condition that no forest management certification or recertification takes place until the scheme is fully re-endorsed.
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| 2006/04/27
| PEFC lifts suspension of Swiss Q-label
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| PEFC Council: The PEFC Council today lifted the suspension of the Swiss Q-label forest certification system. As of today, the Swiss Q-label certified forest area is again endorsed by PEFC and the wood can be labelled with the PEFC logo and claims. The lifting of the suspension is the result of the Q-label?s adoption of changes ensuring compliance with PEFC requirements.
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| 2006/03/01
| Swedish and Norwegian forest certification systems re-endorsed by PEFC
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| PEFC Council: More than 15 million hectares of forests in Norway and Sweden continue to be managed sustainably under the stringent standards of the international PEFC forest certification system. The PEFC Council today re-endorsed the certification systems in both countries, following an independent assessment of the systems by external consultants. The Norwegian ?Living Forests Standards? is re-endorsed by the PEFC council until 2008 and the ?Swedish Forest Certification Scheme? until 2011.
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| 2006/01/18
| PEFC publishes Position Paper on a phased approach to forest certification
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| PEFC Council: Should developing countries be allowed to participate in international forest certification systems and demonstrate their gradual compliance with the standards through a series of pre-determined steps and timelines? This questions has been discussed for a number of years under the heading ?The Phased Approach to Forest Certification? by scientists, governments and supporters of forest certification systems alike. To move the debate forward, the PEFC Council has published a position paper, describing key issues and requirements needed for such an approach to be successful and meaningful.
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