New guide for legal timber tradebetween Central African rainforest and the EU

Helpful summaries for different users:

Summary for Timber Traders in Cameroon: Steps to Provide Legal Timber to the EU Market​ 

Summary for EU Timber Importers: Ensuring Legal Imports from Cameroon

Full guide in French

Global timber trade is worth around $230bn annually. It is essential for humans to survive and thrive. Handled well, timber trade can provide critical resources, support national and local economies, and protect complex ecosystems on which we all depend.  

However, it is estimated that 15-30% of global timber trade is illegal and unsustainable. It is driven by global organised criminal networks making vast profits, it robs nations and communities of income, and it destroys precious ecosystems, even driving species to extinction.  

Around the world, major steps are being taken to establish transparent timber supply chains, giving assurance to everyone involved that the timber is both legal and sustainable.  

One example is the impending European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) which is due to go live in December 2025. It aims to kickstart sustainable and legal timber trade globally by preventing products which have contributed to deforestation entering or leaving the EU. It applies to wood, rubber, palm oil, soy, beef, coffee and cacao. The EUDR will obviously repeal the current European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR), as regards the wood commodity (timber and timber products). 

As with much legislation, the EUTR/EUDR can appear complex. To aid compliance, TRAFFIC has produced a step-by-step Guide for traders involved in the very significant timber trade route from Cameroon in the Congo Basin to the European Union.  

The Guide is for both for EU importers, but also for exporters and traders in Cameroon – to help everyone comply with the specific regulations of this route, preventing deforestation and build a nature-positive future.  

• For EU importers: if you are involved in buying or importing timber into the EU, you can access a summary of the Guide here

• For Cameroon exporters: if you are involved in selling or exporting timber to the EU, you can access a summary of the Guide here