EU standards and regulations

Target items

4407 wood, 4412 plywood, 4413 improved wood (high durability wood)

Content

"European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 2019/2072" and "Regulation (EU) of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) No. 2016/2031" apply to plants, plant products, and other objects that may be contaminated with plant pests. Regulations regarding the import of materials (wooden products, containers, soil, etc.). Under this regulation, certain plants, plant-based products and other goods imported into the EU must present a phytosanitary certificate showing that they have been inspected.

Phytosanitary measures include (1) import ban, (2) submission of phytosanitary certificate, (3) implementation of inspection and phytosanitary checks, (4) importer registration, and (5) implementation of emergency measures.

1. Import ban: Plants, plant products and others originating from non-EU countries included in “Annex VI” of the “European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 2019/2072” shall be imported throughout the EU or based on “Annex IX”. Introduction to protected areas defined by the EU is prohibited.
2. Submission of phytosanitary certificate: When importing plants and products using plants listed in "Annex XI" and "Annex XII" of "European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 2019/2072" must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the quarantine authority of the exporting country. Once goods are brought into the EU, a plant passport (a document required to move certain plants within the EU) may be issued instead of a phytosanitary certificate.
3. Inspection and phytosanitary checks: When goods are brought into the EU, they are carried out at border points in conjunction with the certificate inspection in step ②. Inspections include checking documents, checking whether goods comply with regulations, and checking whether plants, plant-based products, and products, including wood packaging, comply with specific requirements and requirements regarding phytosanitary measures. This is a plant health check.
4. Importer registration: Importers must be officially registered in an EU member state and have an official registration number.
5. Implementation of emergency measures: If the above provisions ① to ④ are violated, emergency measures may be taken.

For details on the treatment conditions required for each wood product in plant quarantine, please refer to the reference link "European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 2019/2072".

Content

The documents required for importing into the EU can be broadly divided into two types: "general type" and "specific type."
The documents required as "general documents" are as follows.

• Commercial invoice
• Customs value declaration
• Freight documents
• Packing list
• Proof of origin
• Single administrative document (SAD)

*For details regarding single administrative documents, please check the related link "About single administrative documents."

The documents required as "specific documents" are as follows.

• Plant health control documentation
• EUTR compliance document (Control on illigal timber and timber products)
• CPR compatible documents/CE marking (Technical specifications for construction products)
• Permits and Certificates for the Protection of Endangered Species (CITES) under CITES
• ECO label for wood flooring (recommended for wood flooring materials, not required)

Target items

4407 wood, 4412 plywood, 4413 improved wood (high durability wood)

Content

"Regulation (EC) No. 765/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council" stipulates the CE marking as a safety mark that must be affixed to designated products sold within the EU. Furthermore, the European Parliament and Council (EC Regulation) No. 768/2008 stipulates that the product manufacturer (importer) or a third-party organization conducts a conformity assessment with the regulations, and if the requirements are met, the CE It establishes the process by which the mark can be displayed on products. If the CE mark is not affixed to a designated product that meets standards, it is generally not allowed to be imported or sold within the EU.

Annex IV of Regulation (EU) No. 305/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Regulation on Building Materials) lists wood products as ``13. Structural wood products, elements and accessories'' and ``14. Wood products. "Panels and their elements" and "19. Flooring" are stipulated. Products listed in Annex IV are to be evaluated by Technical Assessment Bodies (TAB) to ensure that they comply with European standards. According to this regulation, CE marking is mandatory for building material products.

The procedure for acquiring CE marking differs depending on the product, such as whether European standards (EN standards) are in place for the target product, and the criteria for evaluation items and evaluation personnel in the AVCP system (evaluation system). It is necessary to pay attention to this point.

Target items

4407 wood, 4412 plywood, 4413 improved wood (high durability wood)

Content

"Regulation (EU) of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) No. 995/2010 (EU Timber Regulation)" sets out the obligations that timber shipping companies, operators and traders must comply with. The timber to which this regulation applies is specified in the "Annex", and products with HS codes 4407, 4412, and 4413 are subject to it.

Timber shipping businesses must provide operators with the necessary information for due diligence.

Businesses (operators) who purchase wood and wood products from shipping businesses and sell them to trading companies must apply a due diligence system (DDS) for each shipping business of timber and wood products. . When applying a due diligence system, it is acceptable to use either an in-house system or an external system, but the system must be based on the following procedures and principles.

• Access to information: Gather information on available wood and wood product supply chains to conduct a complete risk assessment.
• Risk assessment: Based on the information identified above, illegally harvested wood products can be marketed under the standards set by Regulation (EU) No. 995/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU Timber Regulation). Analyze and evaluate the risks circulating in the market.
• Risk mitigation: Taking measures to effectively reduce risks (unless the identified risks are negligible).

Timber business operators (traders) are obligated to manage traceability information and provide information necessary for due diligence. It is mandatory to identify the following throughout the supply chain and to retain the following information regarding timber purchase and sales records for a minimum of 5 years:

• Business operators or traders who delivered wood and wood products
• Vendors to whom wood and wood products are delivered

Target items

Wood products containing chemicals specified by the REACH regulation

Content

Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council (REACH Regulation) stipulates the registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemicals within the EU. This regulation imposes the following obligations on businesses that manufacture or import chemical products.

• Registration Obligation: Businesses that handle more than 1 ton of each substance manufactured or imported within the EU per year must register the substance with ECHA.
• Obligation to apply for authorization: Businesses that manufacture or import authorized substances (substances shown in Annex Even if the amount is less than a ton, information on the use of the substance and alternatives must be submitted to ECHA for approval.
• Obligation to restrict use: Restricted substances (substances listed in "Annex XVII") must be manufactured, imported, and used in accordance with the specified restriction conditions.
• Obligation to communicate information: Businesses that manufacture or import dangerous substances and specified chemical substances within the EU must provide safety data sheets (SDS) to end users.

Based on these obligations, businesses must conduct risk assessments (chemical tests can be requested from third-party organizations (SGA, Bureau Veritas, etc.)). It is also necessary to understand the presence (concentration) and volume of chemical substances contained in the finished product. Manufacturers and importers must submit the following documents to the European Chemicals Agency:

• Complete set of technical documents
• Chemical substance safety report based on hazard assessment and risk assessment (for chemical substances whose annual production/import volume is 10 tons or more per business)

According to the ECHA Registration Guidance, it is stipulated that "a person who manufactures chemical substances, etc. within the EU, or a legal entity established within the EU who is responsible for imports, must register with ECHA." Therefore, Japanese wood product manufacturers are not required to register with ECHA.

Target items

Timber items listed in Annex IV of Regulation (EU) No. 305/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Regulation on Building Materials)

Content

"Regulation (EU) No. 305/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Regulation on Building Materials)" sets out the basic requirements for construction work, including the requirements that building materials must meet and how they can be made to comply with those requirements. It also stipulates the method. (Example: Structural wood products, wood panels, and flooring materials must bear the CE marking specified in the technical specifications of the European Standard (EN).)

European building standards are systematized as Eurocode (EU Structural Standards), and wooden structures are stipulated in "EN1995 Eurocode 5: Design of Wooden Structures."
This document stipulates matters such as wooden structure design and fireproof design, as well as EN standards for building materials.

Content

Within the EU, the following forest certifications are widely used:

• The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): There are two types of certification: FM certification (certification related to forest management) and CoC certification (certification related to processing and distribution processes). The certification audit uses a third-party certification method to conduct document and on-site audits based on the 10 principles and 70 standards established by the FSC.
• The Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC): There are no unified examination standards, and mutual certification is performed within member countries based on examination standards determined by each country. PEFC certification is mutually certified with Japan's SGEC certification.
• Origine et Légalité des Bois (OLB): There are two types: FM certification (forest management certification) and CoC certification (processing chain certification). Based on the "OLB Standard," forest-originated areas and businesses are examined to see if they are managing forests and forest-derived products in compliance with laws and regulations.

Target items

4407 wood, 4412 plywood, 4413 improved wood (high durability wood)

Content

Equal tariff rates (common tariff rates) are set for imports into the EU. Common tariff rates are determined based on classifications (CN codes) based on the Combined Nomenclature (CN). Based on "Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) No. 2658/87", a database "Integrated Tariff of the European Union (TARIC)" has been established regarding trade information including common tariffs.
According to the Integrated Tariff of the European Union (TARIC), when exporting wood from Japan to the EU, goods with HS code 4413 are not subject to common tariffs.

Additionally, under the framework of the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (effective February 1, 2019), common customs duties will be reduced in stages for goods with HS codes 4407 and 4412, and will be abolished over the following years: It is prescribed to do so.
HS code 4407: 8th year since the agreement came into force
HS code 4412: 9th to 11th year after the agreement comes into force