PEFC has been accepted for public sustainable timber procurement in the Netherlands.

The decision follows a positive assessment of the timber certification scheme by the Dutch Timber Procurement Assessment Committee (TPAC).

“The assessment of PEFC by TPAC was probably one of the most thorough investigations of any forest certification system ever undertaken,” said Ben Gunneberg, PEFC International secretary-general.

In addition to assessing PEFC International, TPAC separately assessed six PEFC-endorsed national forest certification systems in Finland, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Austria and Malaysia.

Mr Gunneberg said PEFC understood there had been accusations made against the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme, but advised the Dutch environment ministry not to suspend any certification system which has been positively assessed by TPAC until the claims have been thoroughly investigated and either proven to be justified or not.