The London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) submitted evidence to German and European enforcement authorities showing serious repeated violations of the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) by a German company selling illegal Myanmar teak.<\/p>\n
The complaint against Alfred Neumann Co. Ltd. is the 15th<\/sup>\u00a0complaint of \u201cillegally harvested timber being placed on the market in Europe\u201d filed by EIA on the EUTR. Numerous authorities in Europe have previously found companies selling Myanmar teak in violation of the EUTR.<\/p>\n EIA\u2019s forest campaigner Alec Dawson highlighted the fact that companies such as Alfred Neumann \u201cconnect the world\u2019s most corrupt teak traders with the world\u2019s most prestigious yacht-builders and clients, contributing to the [continuous] destruction of Myanmar\u2019s teak forests.\u201d<\/p>\n EIA has urged European leaders to have \u201ctougher enforcement\u201d of laws in the European market where illegal teak is found to be entering. The agency also advocates for timber operators \u201cto undertake due diligence to minimize the risk\u201d of supplying illegally acquired timber like that from Myanmar.<\/p>\n \n EIA has raised complaints against 15 companies since 2015, namely Belotti SPA, Antonini Legnami, Timberlux Srl and Basso Legnami in Italy; Boogaerdt Wood, World Wood and Gold Teak Holdings in the Netherlands; Keflico in Denmark; Teak Solutions in Germany (transferred to Spain); Moody Decking, Stones Marine Timber, and Wattsons in the UK; Crown Teak and Vandercasteele Houtimport in Belgium; and Alfred Neumann in Germany.<\/p>\n Following the EIA complaints against these companies, one Dutch company, Boogaerdt Wood, was found in violation of the EUTR and threatened with fines.\u00a0Denmark also issued an injunction\u00a0to prevent placements of Myanmar teak on the market there\u00a0and\u00a0Germany has been turning back some shipments of Myanmar teak\u00a0before they can be placed on the market.<\/p>\n Dawson added that despites these actions, no due diligence system for Myanmar teak meets the requirements of the EUTR, which are the responsibility of European government authorities.<\/p>\n \u201cMyanmar teak has still been entering the European market and it appears companies are trying to test the will and resources of enforcement agencies, for example by routing shipments of wood through third countries to avoid liability. This means we still need to see better coordination and consistency in enforcement of the EUTR,\u201d said Alec Dawson.<\/p>\n EIA said their evidence underpins EIA\u2019s concerns that \u201cmultiple shipments of Myanmar teak for the company Alfred Neumann GmbH (Co. Ltd.) since 2013 were purchased from the businesses of corrupt Thailand-based teak kingpin Cheng Pui Chee, aka Chetta Apipatana.\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) submitted evidence to German and European enforcement authorities showing serious repeated violations of the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) by a German company selling illegal Myanmar teak. The complaint against Alfred Neumann Co. Ltd. … Continue reading