September 23, 2009

Lacey Act Amendments - New Due Diligence Requirements Regarding Source of Wood in Products

The Lacey Act is a century-old wildlife conservation law. In May 2008, Congress passed amendments to the Act (mainly targeted at reducing the market for illegally logged wood) that prohibit commerce in plant and plant products that were taken in violation of state, tribal or foreign law. The amendments also require importers to declare the species and country of origin of plants or plant products imported into the U.S., including information for wood materials used in products. This panel discussed the development of the Lacey Act amendments; requirements, compliance and enforcement issues; and parallel due diligence requirements for timber products under consideration in Europe.

Speakers:
Laura Duncan, Beveridge & Diamond, PC (moderator)
Brigid Shea, International Wood Products Association
Andrea Johnson, Environmental Investigation Agency
Thomas Swegle, Department of Justice
Magnus Björk, IKEA

Downloads and Links:
USDA site: Lacey Act Amendments: Implementation Questions and Answers, March 27, 2009
Andrea Johnson, PowerPoint, Video (Youtube)
Thomas Swegle, PowerPoint
Magnus Björk, PowerPoint
Brigid Shea, PowerPoint