The Brazilian furniture sector has been alerted to the risks to businesses from the recent European Union regulation that prohibits its member countries importing wood products unless it can be shown that the raw materialused in manufacture did not come from forests that were deforested or degraded.
When the regulation is implemented exporters need to present certificates proving the origin of the raw material including GPS coordinates and the guarantees of respect for human rights, especially those of indigenous people. Against this background ABIMÓVEL (Brazilian Association of Furniture Industries) stressed the need for certification of raw materials and production processes in the Brazilian furniture industry.
The adoption of certified wood from sustainable forest management is already an obligation within the sector. With more than 20,000 native timber species in natural forests Brazilian tropical timber has an important place in the furniture sector.