Estonia: Timber imported from countries with little forests: report

Following the imposition of sanctions on Russian timber, Estonia has seen a surge in heavy timber imports from unexpected countries, where forests are assumed to be scarce, Postimees reports. Henrik Välja, CEO of the Estonian Forest and Wood Industries Association (EMPL), said that Russian timber continued to flow into Estonia through an illegal scheme whereby the goods are declared as originating from third countries instead. Valeri Rauam, area manager at the Estonian Tax and Customs Board (EMTA), said that no timber has been imported from Russia since July 2022. At the same time, timber imports have increased from Brazil, China, Norway, Ukraine, the US, and Vietnam. Also, timber imports have now been registered from countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and the UAE, Rauam added.