As the COP climate talks begin in Glasgow, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is opening its doors to one of Europe’s worst forest offenders, HS Timber Group. The FSC had disassociated from the company in 2017 following a formal complaint from WWF Germany citing illegal logging in Romania’s forests. Despite the company’s failure to gain […]
On January 31, Romania released a new electronic timber traceability system, an important step in its transition to a fully digital forest sector. Unfortunately, the new system has inexplicably removed all public transparency. Following years of intense public pressure on the government to end the rampant illegal logging that is plaguing the country, the new […]
Today EIA releases a new report on illegal logging in Romania that we wanted to bring to your attention as we simultaneously host a Press Confernece in Bucharest sharing our findings. Behind the Scenes takes detailed look at how the Austrian timber giant Holzindustrie Schweighofer, one of the largest wood processors in Romania, continues to […]
On Wednesday Romanian prosecutors executed 23 search warrants across the country related to a criminal investigation into the Austrian timber giant Holzindustrie Schweighofer. The police raids, which included the company’s headquarters in Sebes, represent a new stage in the investigation into organized criminal activity that began three years ago. The alleged organized criminal group includes […]
The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) is disappointed that the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has agreed to a roadmap that would allow Holzindustrie Schweighofer to regain FSC status, without resolving the underlying problem of illegal timber sourcing which led the FSC to cut ties with the Austrian timber giant in February. The Board of Directors of […]
Washington, D.C. — In a recent field investigation in Romania, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) found evidence of illegal logging in Romania’s second-largest national park linked to the Austrian timber giant Holzindustrie Schweighofer. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) disassociated itself from Schweighofer in early 2017 due to “clear and convincing evidence” that the company had […]