If you wish to place timber or timber products on the market in the EU for the first time since 03.03.2013 (as a so-called "market participant"), you are obliged to prove that the timber and timber products are legally harvested.

This proof must be provided by complying with certain due diligence obligations. The "due diligence regulation" includes, among other things

• Information on the type and origin of the wood,
• facts about the supplier and
• procedures for assessing and reducing the risk that the timber could originate from illegal logging.

This is intended to combat the trade in illegally harvested timber. The BLE checks market participants according to a plan and on the basis of a risk-based approach for compliance with the requirements of the regulation.

You must therefore notify the BLE of your activities as a market participant once before you start importing. Please note that you must also notify the BLE immediately of any changes to the data you have already provided.