Brexit Debate Underway in Timber Sector, UK Traders Told

Government departments are in contact with timber industry representative bodies about the effects of Brexit, a gathering of more than 200 UK traders has been told.

Timber Trade Federation (TTF) managing director David Hopkins told a lively annual dinner of the Western Timber Association in Bristol on February 16 that a very real debate surrounding Brexit and how it may affect the industry was ramping up.

“There are a lot of things in there that affect our business and we are trying to make sure the timber industry is represented in the debate,” he said. “Government departments are asking us questions.”

Mr Hopkins said the recent Confederation of Timber Industries (CTI) parliamentary reception at Westminster saw the first public UK government assurance that the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) would continue in UK law post-Brexit,

“We are working hard to make sure the timber supply chain is recognised by policy makers in the UK.
Mr Hopkins also urged TTF members to give feedback in government consultation exercises and engage MPs in their local areas as part of a mobilisation of the industry, using letter templates and tools produced by the TTF.

He said a key theme in the TTF’s 125th anniversary year was its “Timber you can Trust” vision, with the federation fulfilling a role as a guardian of standards and quality in the supply chain.

“We’re going to be looking at flooring and cladding, which are big sales areas for our industry. We will work out what the problems are, get our houses in order and move forward.”

Original link - TTJ Online

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