EU accused of fuelling trade in illegal timber
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Greenpeace has accused the EU of "double standards" (Photo: EUobserver)
The European Union has been accused of using Indonesian timber from illegal logging in its buildings.
Greenpeace is claiming that plywood supplied by companies known for illegal and destructive logging in Indonesia's last rainforests has been found at the new headquarters for the EU economic and social committee (ECOSOC) and in the Commission's Berlaymont building in Brussels.
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The European Commission has denied the allegations.
A spokesperson said that as far as the Commission is aware, "all the timber used in the renovation comes from renewable sources", and added that the matter will be looked into when the Commission takes over the building.
The Berlaymont building, which is currently under construction, has already been the object of criticism in the past after it had to be evacuated in 1991 when it was found to be riddled with asbestos.
For its part, ECOSOC denied the claims made by Greenpeace, saying that the wood used originated from zones in Indonesia where logging is legal.
However, Greenpeace said that nearly 90% of all logging in Indonesia is illegal, and added that the industry is linked to corruption, violence and human rights abuses.
It claims that undercover investigations found that wood used in the renovation of the two buildings originates from companies known for trading in timber from Indonesia's threatened rainforests.
Killing a fly with a cannon
Environmental activists from the organisation protested this morning in front of the European Commission and ECOSOC buildings.
"Not only does the EU allow the import of illegal wood into Europe, it is fuelling the trade in illegal and destructive timber through its own building projects", said Gavin Edwards of Greenpeace International.
"Indonesia's rainforests should be home to orang-utans and tigers, not EU bureaucrats in plush offices and chambers".
The European Commission said that its shares these concerns but added that banning imports from Indonesia would be like "killing a fly with a cannon", as the wood might still be exported through Malaysia.
"We are 100% on the same line as Greenpeace on the fight against illegal logging", a Commission spokesperson for trade told journalists on Tuesday. "We are as concerned as Greenpeace is".
