NEWS

Poland has arrested members of a criminal network accused of smuggling timber products from Russia and Belarus into the EU. Three Polish and two Russian citizens were arrested in December and face charges of circumventing EU restrictions on imports of Russian and Belarusian plywood and wooden planks.

Rumors swirled that the Supreme Court would decide by January 14 whether the Trump administration could impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). This did not happen; the ruling may be announced next week. Most experts believe the Court will rule against the IEEPA tariffs. However, this is unlikely to affect bilateral agreements between countries, and the administration has many other ways to impose tariffs.

The most recent data available shows that U.S. imports of hardwood plywood continued to grow in 2025, up by 25% in value through September. Imports from Indonesia accounted for nearly 32% of imports and increased by more than 50%. Vietnam was the second-largest source of imports at 22%, an increase in value of 48%. 

The Forest Resources Association commented in support of proposed revisions to the waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule under the Clean Water Act, which would realign federal jurisdiction with the 2023 Supreme Court decision. The proposed revisions clarify that "traditional navigable waters" must be capable of commercial navigation, remove the "interstate waters" category, and define "relatively permanent" tributaries.

PHOTO © Eric Vance - WOTUS

The Trump administration will rescind the 2024 independent contractor rule and replace it with more employer-friendly terms under the Fair Labor Standards Act. While the exact wording has not yet been published, the process is already underway and the Department of Labor has made its intent clear.