Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET) - Frequently Asked Questions
Question
1. What is the CPET process?
Draft response
The Central Point of Expertise on Timber Procurement (CPET) is the mechanism established to develop the UK Government’s timber procurement policy. It was established by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and is operated by ProForest (see www.proforest.net/cpet for further information). DEFRA and ProForest are advised by a Reference Board.
2. Who sits on the CPET Reference Board?
There are two representatives from industry on the CPET Reference Board: Andy Roby, Timber Trade Federation (http://www.ttf.co.uk) and Martin Gale, CONFOR (http://www.confor.org.uk) and two from the conservation sector Saskia Ozinga, FERN (http://www.fern.org) and Beatrix Richards, WWF UK (http://www.wwf.org.uk)
3. Why was CPET established?
The UK government responded to increasing concerns about origins of the timber used in government contracts by developing a procurement policy on timber and timber products. This policy requires all Government departments and their agencies to actively seek to buy timber and paper products from legal and sustainable sources.
4. When did the CPET process begin and what is the history of PEFC’s involvement?
In autumn 2004, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) commissioned an assessment of five forest certification systems against its new criteria for forest certification schemes to be eligible under the UK Government Timber Procurement Policy. The results of this initial assessment, which were announced in November 2004, demonstrated that PEFC met all Government thresholds for legality and for sustainable forest management standards. On three procedural elements, namely the decision-making process at national level, having a public consultation for each individual forest certification and making a summary of certification audit reports publicly available, PEFC did not obtain the necessary score. With the announcement of the initial results, the then DEFRA Minister Elliot Morley set a six months transition period for certification systems to adapt to the new requirements and a six months deadline before Government departments would begin to differentiate between schemes. In the months following the announcement, the PEFC Council worked closely with DEFRA, its advisors and the UK Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET), to identify and implement the necessary changes. The PEFC Council member countries, in an extraordinary General Assembly vote, approved the new requirements, which were submitted to DEFRA in April 2005 for reassessment, a month before the deadline (see PEFC Council Press Release at www.pefc.org > News > 2005/04/12 PEFC demonstrates customer commitment).
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In June 2005, Minister Morley praised PEFC for the speed with which the changes had been made. He announced that the results of the reassessment would be published at the earliest opportunity but that Government officials would meet with representatives of UK Environmental Non Governmental Organisations (ENGOs) to explain how the results were arrived at prior to the official announcement. In the meantime, Government buyers would continue to accept all forest certification schemes as assurance of legal and sustainable timber sources. See DEFRA Press Release at www.defra.gov.uk/news/2005/index.htm 10 June 2005 Forest Certification Schemes: Minister gives reassurance on publication of reassessment. In August 2005, Minister Morley announced that based on the new PEFC Council documentation, DEFRA had officially rated PEFC certified products as both legal and sustainable (see DEFRA Press Release www.defra.gov.uk/news/2005/index.htm 11 August 2005 Progress on forest certification schemes). At the same time, Minister Morley announced that the UK Government would review whether the national PEFC endorsed certification systems had successfully implemented the agreed changes at the end of 2005. The government’s decision in August to include PEFC in the UK Public Timber Procurement Policy had been welcomed both by timber traders and PEFC stakeholders in the UK and globally (see www.pefc.org > News > 2005/08/11 UK Government rates all PEFC certified timber as “legal and sustainable”). In January 2006, the PEFC Council submitted evidence on its verification regarding implementation by its national members to DEFRA (see www.pefc.org > General News > 2006/01/16 Evidence on implementation submitted to CPET/DEFRA). At the end of March 2006, Minister Morley announced that all forest certification systems will be assessed later in 2006. While he confirmed PEFC’s rating as “legal and sustainable”, he said that the findings on the evidence submitted by a few national PEFC systems would be further scrutinised before announcing a final decision on PEFC (see www.defra.gov.uk/news/2006/index.htm - 30 March 2006 PEFC Forest Certification Scheme still on probation as checks reveal outstanding issues). In June 2006, DEFRA announced that a review of the five forest certification (CSA, FSC, PEFC, MTCC, SFI) would begin on 24 June 2006 (see www.defra.gov.uk/news/2006/index.htm - 7 June 2006 Defra announces review to assure legal and sustainable timber procurement). Although in August 2005, PEFC Council’s documentation had been judged as meeting all UK government requirements to assure “legality and sustainability” and despite the Minister’s confirmation of March 2006 and his announcement to merely verify implementation at national level, the Ministry in autumn of 2006 made additional requirements of PEFC before it would lift its probationary status. Once again, the PEFC Council and its members fully co-operated with DEFRA and CPET and at their General Assembly in October 2006 launched a new Guideline and implemented additional requirements to accommodate DEFRA’s supplementary requirements on consensus and standard setting (see www.pefc.org > News > 2006/10/26 Recent Board of Directors decisions on assessment processes) and the new Guideline GL 5/2006: Interpretation of the PEFC Council Requirements for Consensus in the Standard Setting Process at www.pefc.org > Technical Documentation > PEFCC Guidelines.
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5. Which sustainable forest management certification schemes have been assessed in the CPET process?
The following sustainable forest management certification schemes have been assessed by CPET: Canadian Standards Association - CSA (http://www.csa.ca) Forest Stewardship Council - FSC (http://www.fsc.org) Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes – PEFC (www.pefc.org) Malaysian Timber Certification Council - MTCC (http://www.mtcc.com.my) Sustainable Forestry Initiative – SFI (http://www.aboutsfi.org)
6. What are the social and economic impacts of the CPET process? 7. When did the 2006 review take place?
It is estimated that around 40% of UK timber imports are used in public sector contracts. CPET advice is therefore not only a major influencer on the public sector, but also increasingly influences the procurement policies of those in the private sector.
The 2006 CPET rigorous review process took place in June-July 2006. All five of the leading timber certification schemes (see question 5) were assessed against the CPET criteria and wide stakeholder input was sought.
8. When will the next review of sustainable forest management schemes take place? 9. Who can I contact for further information?
DEFRA have indicated that the review process will now take place every two years, so the next full review of schemes will begin in May 2008.
PEFC Council – contact Oliver Scholz E-mail: comms@pefc.org Tel : +352 (26) 25 9059 PEFC UK Ltd – contact Hilary Khawam E-mail: Hilary.Khawam@pefc.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)1689 819902 Mobile : +44 (0) 781 844 2306
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