The Polish wood and furniture industry has called on the government to provide practical support for companies preparing for the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), warning that businesses cannot be left to interpret and implement the new rules on their own.<\/p>\n
The Polish Chamber of Commerce of Furniture Manufacturers (OIGPM) has sent an appeal to Climate and Environment Minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska, urging the ministry to organize official training sessions and provide clear guidance on how companies should comply with the regulation.<\/p>\n
The request comes as businesses across the wood and furniture supply chain continue to prepare for the EUDR, which will require companies placing products on the EU market to demonstrate that commodities such as timber are not linked to deforestation.<\/p>\n
For furniture manufacturers, the regulation introduces a range of new obligations, including documenting the origin of timber, collecting geolocation information, maintaining records and implementing due diligence procedures throughout the supply chain.<\/p>\n
According to OIGPM, the sector supports the objective of protecting forests and promoting transparent supply chains, but companies remain concerned about the lack of practical information on how the rules will be applied in everyday business operations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe furniture industry is not afraid of environmental requirements or responsible sourcing of raw materials,\u201d said Krzysztof Zimny, member of the OIGPM Council. \u201cPolish furniture manufacturers have been operating under high environmental standards for years and understand the need to protect forests. The problem is not the objective of the EUDR itself but the uncertainty surrounding its implementation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zimny said many companies still do not know how specific provisions should be interpreted in practice and are looking for clear instructions on documentation, internal procedures and compliance requirements.<\/p>\n
Sector concerned about legal uncertainty<\/strong><\/p>\n According to the chamber, confusion surrounding the regulation has created growing frustration among businesses.<\/p>\n Companies report receiving conflicting information from consultants, advisers and commercial training providers. OIGPM argues that many of the courses currently available focus primarily on potential penalties rather than offering practical solutions for compliance.<\/p>\n At the same time, businesses say there is a shortage of official guidance from the authorities responsible for implementing and enforcing the regulation.<\/p>\n \u201cThe biggest problem today is not the idea of forest protection itself but the lack of legal certainty,\u201d Zimny said. \u201cEntrepreneurs want to comply with the regulations, but instead of clear instructions they are confronted with contradictory interpretations, speculation and uncertainty.\u201d<\/p>\n The chamber also expressed concern that Poland could introduce additional requirements beyond those required by the EU regulation itself, a practice commonly referred to as \u201cgold-plating.\u201d According to OIGPM, such an approach could place Polish companies at a competitive disadvantage compared with manufacturers in other EU member states.<\/p>\n Furniture industry highlights economic importance<\/strong><\/p>\n The appeal comes from one of Poland\u2019s most important manufacturing sectors.<\/p>\n Poland has become one of the world\u2019s leading furniture producers and exporters, supplying products to markets throughout Europe and beyond. The industry employs hundreds of thousands of people directly and indirectly and represents a significant contributor to the country\u2019s export earnings.<\/p>\n OIPGM says that a sector of such importance should receive practical support from public authorities during the implementation of complex new regulations.<\/p>\n In its letter to the ministry, OIGPM called for training sessions led jointly by experts from the Ministry of Climate and Environment and representatives of the authorities responsible for EUDR inspections and enforcement.<\/p>\n According to the chamber, official training would help establish a common interpretation of the rules, reduce uncertainty and minimize the risk of compliance failures once the regulation becomes fully applicable.<\/p>\n Time running short<\/strong><\/p>\n With implementation deadlines approaching, the chamber says there is limited time left for companies to prepare.<\/p>\n Many businesses are still adapting their purchasing procedures, supplier verification systems and internal documentation processes to meet the regulation's requirements. Industry representatives argue that official guidance is needed urgently to ensure companies can comply without disrupting supply chains or exposing themselves to unnecessary legal risks.<\/p>\n OIGPM said a structured dialogue between government authorities and the furniture industry should begin immediately, allowing businesses to receive practical answers to operational questions and prepare for the new regulatory framework with greater confidence.<\/p>\n While support for sustainable sourcing and forest protection remains strong within the sector, the chamber maintains that successful implementation of the EUDR will depend on clear rules, consistent interpretation and close cooperation between regulators and industry.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":98940,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5204],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-98939","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n