ILLEGALLY-SOURCED TIMBER AND THE PROPOSED JAPAN-EU FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

That this House notes that Japan is one of the world's largest importers of tropical timber and that in 2008 Chatham House estimated the value of illegally-sourced wood products imported by Japan at US$2.3 billion; further notes that informal discussions about a possible free trade agreement are taking place between the EU and Japan; believes that any such agreement should have provisions to counter imports of illegally-sourced timber into Japan which would as minimum render Japanese import controls commensurate with Regulation (EU) No. 995/2010 (the Timber Regulation) that prohibits placing illegal timber on the EU market; and urges the Government to call on the EU to demand stringent and effective illegal logging provisions as a pre-condition for any future free trade agreement with Japan.