Report imports of timber and timber products from countries outside the EU

If you wish to import wood or wood products from countries outside the EU for the first time, you must register this once with the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE).

When timber companies cut wood illegally, this leads to a variety of negative consequences at an international level. Among other things, it contributes to deforestation and logging, endangers biodiversity and weakens forestry.

If you want to import timber or timber products from countries outside the EU into the EU for the first time, you must prove that the timber and timber products are legally harvested.

To do this, you must comply with certain due diligence obligations. The due diligence regulations include, among other things

• Information on the type and origin of the wood,
• facts about the supplier and
• procedures for assessing and reducing the risk that the timber could originate from illegal logging.

This is intended to combat the trade in illegally harvested timber. The Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) checks that you as a market participant comply with the requirements of the regulation.

You must therefore notify the BLE of your activities as a market participant once before you start importing. Please note that you must also notify the BLE immediately of any changes to the data you have already submitted.

• Completed form for notification of activity as a market participant for timber or timber products

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You must submit your notification as a market participant in writing by letter, e-mail or online:

By letter and e-mail:

• Download the notification form from the website of the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE).
• Complete the notification in full and send it to the BLE
• Alternatively, you can register for guest access to the online service "Online notification of imports of timber and timber products from countries outside the EU", fill in the form digitally, download it and send it.
• After receiving your notification, you will receive a confirmation from the BLE about your reported data after about a week.

Online:

• Log in to the online service with your BundID or "Elster - My company account" access.
  • If you do not have either of these two accounts, you will need to register again.
• The online form will guide you step by step through all the details.

You will receive confirmation from the BLE of the data you have entered.

You must submit the declaration at the latest one day before you import the wood or wood products.

1 week

There are no costs.