§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when and where the EU action plan on illegal logging will be discussed by the Council of Ministers. [126010]
§ Mr. MorleyThis is a decision for the Presidency of the EU. At Environment Council on 13 June, the UK urged the Presidency to facilitate a full and early discussion of the Action Plan. Since that time, preliminary discussions by officials have been held in Brussels at the EU Working Group on Forestry on 9 July and at the EU Development Co-operation Working Group on 11 July.
§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if the UK Government will press for new legislation to ban the import of illegally sourced timber as part of the EU action plan to tackle the illegal timber trade; and if she will make a statement. [126009]
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§ Mr. MorleyThe UK Government wishes to see an end to the import of illegally logged timber into the EU and does not rule out support for such legislation. Equally, the Government recognises the need to ensure that any new legislation is proportionate, enforceable and compatible with WTO regulations. Consequently, in addition to offering broad support to the Commission's recently published Action Plan to tackle illegal logging and its associated trade, the UK will press for the Commission to undertake an immediate assessment of the feasibility and impacts of additional legislative options, including a ban on illegally sourced timber.