• Burmese
Sunday, June 22, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
28 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home In Person Interview

Europe’s Rich Continue to Buy Myanmar’s Illegal Teak: EIA

Nyein Nyein by Nyein Nyein
May 28, 2020
in Interview
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0 0
A A
An elephant pulls a teak log at a logging camp in Pinlebu Township, Sagaing Region, in 2014. / Reuters

An elephant pulls a teak log at a logging camp in Pinlebu Township, Sagaing Region, in 2014. / Reuters

7.2k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Illegal teak from Myanmar is not allowed to be traded in the European Union under the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) since 2013. However, the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA)’s latest report said traders are paying to ship illicit teak into Europe, avoiding import rules to get their hands on valuable timber for high-paying clients for use in luxury products, like yacht decking.

The EIA’s latest report The Croatian Connection Exposed – Importing illicit Myanmar teak through Europe’s back door – said the import/export documentation the agency obtained showed that 10 shipments of timber totaling 144 tonnes arrived in Rijeka in Croatia between 2017 and 2019. Invoices put the total value at nearly US$1 million (1.4 billion kyats), although the wood was selling at far higher rates to yacht builders.

Alec Dawson, a forestry campaigner at the EIA, took part in an email interview with The Irrawaddy on Myanmar’s dwindling forests.

RelatedPosts

Residents of Myanmar Ruby Hub Speak Out as TNLA Mining Takes Toll

Residents of Myanmar Ruby Hub Speak Out as TNLA Mining Takes Toll

June 20, 2025
612
Tree-Planting Hides Logging Frenzy; Moving Mountains for Steel Production; and More

Tree-Planting Hides Logging Frenzy; Moving Mountains for Steel Production; and More

June 14, 2025
664
Toxic Thailand Rivers Pinned on Myanmar Mines

Toxic Thailand Rivers Pinned on Myanmar Mines

June 11, 2025
732

What is the highlight of your latest report? 

The report reveals the results of an EIA investigation into companies throughout Europe attempting to circumvent enforcement of the EU Timber Regulation by landing timber in Croatia. In the last two years, European authorities have a strong stance on Myanmar teak being brought into the EU, and direct trade in teak has declined significantly in countries that have enforced this position. However, other countries have seen a rise in Myanmar timber imports, including Croatia.

Through documents provided by the Croatian Ministry of Agriculture in response to a freedom of information request, EIA has discovered that a Croatian company, named Viator Pula, has been used by traders throughout Europe to land timber and trade it on to them. In several cases, the companies receiving the timber have had warnings given to them specifically or to the industry in their country stating that either their due diligence for Myanmar teak was inadequate or that it was not possible to provide adequate due diligence in Europe for Myanmar teak. Instead of ceasing trading or improving their own due diligence systems, they have opted to source timber through Croatia.

Why isn’t Myanmar’s teak yet able to comply with the EUTR? What reforms are needed?

To comply with the EUTR, importers of Myanmar teak need to be able to conduct “due diligence” to ensure that their timber is from a legal source. Myanmar has been significantly affected by illegal logging. For many years there was harvesting above the allowable cuts set by the Forest Department. In recent years Myanmar has taken significant steps to reform, for example by reducing its annual cuts and introducing a log export ban. In recent months the Forest Department has seized large quantities of illegal timber so are clearly taking action against illegal logging. However, what is needed is transparency to ensure that this illegal timber is not making its way into international markets.

Your report says the imports of timber from Myanmar have substantially increased in many EU states, including Croatia, Greece and Italy and decreased in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. Myanmar has introduced the log export ban and reduced the annual timber harvests, but Myanmar teak logs are still being traded illicitly within the EU as you say. Why is that? 

The timber is not coming into the EU as logs – it is sawn timber so avoids the log export ban. This timber is being illegally imported into the EU because it is against EU regulation to bring timber into the EU market without adequate due diligence to confirm its legality, all the way to the source. Timber companies in the EU have not been able to prove this due diligence to a high enough standard. About two years ago, a number of EU countries (Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, for example) took action to stop these European companies trading timber with inadequate due diligence. Some of those companies have then chosen to use middlemen in places like Croatia to ship timber, rather than cease trading or improve their own due diligence. The Croatian authorities has now taken action to try and stop this, and hopefully trade of illicit timber into Croatia will be reduced as well.

How many EU companies are being punished or face punishment for trading illegal teak logs in the EU or for violating EUTR? 

At the moment, EIA is aware of an investigation into two Dutch companies and one Czech company, as well as steps being taken against two Croatian companies, including Viator Pula.

How many tonnes of Myanmar’s teak is being confiscated due to EU companies not following due diligence?

Not very much teak is being confiscated, as companies are circumventing enforcement by trading through places like Croatia and Italy. In April 2019 the German authorities issued an order that 26 tonnes of Myanmar teak be confiscated and returned to where it was shipped from.

How serious is the crisis facing Myanmar’s forests? Does deforestation continue and why?

Recent reports of large seizures of illegal timber, such as 1,400 tonnes seized in Mandalay and 2,800 tonnes seized in Kachin, show that illegal logging is still contributing to deforestation in Myanmar. However, that these seizures are taking place shows that Myanmar is taking positive steps to combat the illegal timber trade.

There were claims about your report last year, “State of Corruption: The top-level conspiracy behind the global trade in Myanmar’s stolen teak” that some of the facts were wrong, what would you like to say?

EIA gave a comprehensive response to these criticisms in this piece on our website.

In brief, EIA had multiple sources for its findings about Cheng Pui Chee and stands by the report. The article cited above misquotes EIA’s report in multiple instances. EIA welcomes reforms that make MTE [Myanma Timber Enterprise] more transparent, however, any suggestion that PEFC [Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification] verifies Myanmar timber for the EU market is not true at present.

Your Thoughts …
Tags: Alec DawsonCroatiaDeforestationEnvironmentEnvironmental Investigation AgencyEuropean UnionforestryTeaktimber
Nyein Nyein

Nyein Nyein

The Irrawaddy

Similar Picks:

UWSA Facilitating China’s Damming of Salween River in Eastern Myanmar: Report
Myanmar-China Watch

UWSA Facilitating China’s Damming of Salween River in Eastern Myanmar: Report

by The Irrawaddy
September 6, 2024
5.9k

A Shan State rights watchdog says country’s most powerful ethnic armed organization is paving the way for dam projects that...

Read moreDetails
Rare Earth Mining Taking Heavy Toll in Myanmar’s Kachin, Groups Say
Burma

Rare Earth Mining Taking Heavy Toll in Myanmar’s Kachin, Groups Say

by Hein Htoo Zan
May 27, 2024
5.3k

Amid heavy global demand for rare earths, local activists’ concerns about the impacts on the environment and local communities are...

Read moreDetails
Myanmar Rights Group Calls on Italy to Sanction Junta Crony
Junta Cronies

Myanmar Rights Group Calls on Italy to Sanction Junta Crony

by The Irrawaddy
March 9, 2024
5.2k

Justice for Myanmar has asked Italy to target resident Rachel Tayza, also known as Htoo Htwe Tay Za, daughter of...

Read moreDetails
Life Without Power Spells Daily Misery for Yangon’s Residents
Burma

Life Without Power Spells Daily Misery for Yangon’s Residents

by Nyein Nyein
January 29, 2025
5k

Lack of electricity affects every aspect of Yangon residents’ daily lives, from work to sleep, and now even hotter weather...

Read moreDetails
Son of Former Regime’s ‘Ecotourism Minister’ Now Supplies Arms to Current Junta
Junta Cronies

Son of Former Regime’s ‘Ecotourism Minister’ Now Supplies Arms to Current Junta

by Aung Zaw
August 3, 2024
4.7k

After growing wealthy in the timber trade thanks to his father’s position in the previous junta, Sit Taing Aung has...

Read moreDetails
Myanmar Junta, Chinese Firm Step Up Cooperation on Irrawaddy River Dam Planning
Burma

Myanmar Junta, Chinese Firm Step Up Cooperation on Irrawaddy River Dam Planning

by The Irrawaddy
May 23, 2024
3k

The creation by the junta of a new body to evaluate hydropower projects on the river comes amid fears it...

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post
Tanks take part in a military parade on Myanmar Armed Forces Day in Naypyitaw in March 2017. / Myo Min Soe

Myanmar Parliament Slashes Military’s Budget Request for First Time

(PLA) Gen. Li Zuocheng, chief of the Joint Staff Department of China's People's Liberation Army, speaks during a meeting in Beijing. / REUTERS

Attack on Taiwan an Option to Stop Independence, Top Chinese General Says

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

Trade and Traffic from Thai Border Region Dwindle as Checkpoints Multiply

Trade and Traffic from Thai Border Region Dwindle as Checkpoints Multiply

3 days ago
930
The Lady Myanmar’s Generals Can’t Defeat

The Lady Myanmar’s Generals Can’t Defeat

3 days ago
674

Most Read

  • Myanmar Junta Moves to Seize Sagaing Roads

    Myanmar Junta Moves to Seize Sagaing Roads

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Certifying a Chinese Security Invasion; Boosting Ties With Nuclear North Korea; and More

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta Changes Election Law Ahead of Polls

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Residents of Myanmar Ruby Hub Speak Out as TNLA Mining Takes Toll

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Trade and Traffic from Thai Border Region Dwindle as Checkpoints Multiply

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.