NEWS

As the European Commission continues to struggle to implement the EU Deforestation Regulation, the American Hardwood Export Council and its partners have developed a feasible approach to implementation. AHEC proposed that county-level geolocation should be enough for U.S. hardwood exports to comply with the EUDR. Per AHEC's careful analysis, this would still meet all EUDR objectives for mitigating the risk of deforestation.

Trees in three national forests in Oregon will be auctioned off for logging by the end of the month, even though the federal workers preparing these timber sales are not getting paid and many of their colleagues in the U.S. Forest Service are furloughed. Staff who organize and process timber sales have been designated as essential workers.

On October 14, the Hardwood Federation sent a letter to Trump administration officials, making the case that U.S. hardwood companies should be included in any trade assistance programs involving agricultural industries that have been negatively impacted by trade and tariff policies. More than 430 hardwood mills, manufacturers, yards, logging companies, and suppliers signed the letter.

U.S. forest products associations urged the European Commission to "avoid a rushed process and take the time necessary to pursue simplification [of the EU Deforestation Regulation] with great care. An additional year provides a valuable opportunity for the Commission to engage in productive dialogue with forest owners and operators in highly forested, low-risk countries like the U.S. to understand implementation challenges and reduce unintended consequences."

On October 8, Kemp Harr of Floor Daily and Keith Christman, President of Decorative Hardwoods Association, discussed the difference between the reciprocal tariffs established under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Section 232 tariffs. They also discussed what DHA is doing to protect U.S. manufacturers from illegally dumped and subsidized imports of hardwood products, including flooring.