Canada develops a new certification system for solid wood packaging material to address the new European Union requirements

This document originally appeared at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/for/cwpc/eure.shtml
Date Modified: 2001-08-03



Plant Products Directorate
Plant Health and Production Division
Forestry Section


Canada develops a new certification system for solid wood packaging material to address the new European Union requirements

Questions and Answers

European Union Import Requirements | Wood pallets and packaging
Canada Wood Packaging Certification Program
Who Will Be Impacted? | Future International Guidelines

European Union (EU) Import Requirements

  1. When will the new EU import requirements come into effect?
  1. October 1, 2001.
  1. What exactly are the new EU import requirements?
  1. All non-manufactured coniferous (except cedar or Thuja spp.) wood packaging material (e.g. pallets, containers, drums, etc.) shipped to any EU country from Canada must be either:

Packaging material comprised entirely of manufactured wood (e.g. veneer, oriented strand board, particle board, plywood, etc.) or hardwood species (e.g. maple, ash, elm, etc.) or non-wood material (e.g. plastic, metal, cardboard, etc.) are not regulated and do not require certification.

  1. Why has the EU adopted the new requirements?
  1. The new requirements are designed to reduce the risk of transmitting the pinewood nematode into European Union countries. Non-manufactured wood packaging is regulated by the EU because raw wood could harbour the nematode and its insect vector.
  1. Do the new EU import requirements apply to all species of wood?
  1. No. The new EU import requirements only apply to wood packaging comprised of tree species that are potential hosts (i.e. pine, Douglas-fir, spruce, hemlock, larch, and fir) to pinewood nematode and its insect vector. Cedar (Thuja spp.), manufactured wood and hardwood species used in the construction of wood packaging are exempt from the new EU import requirements.
  1. What are the consequences for exported Canadian wood packaging that does not comply with the new EU import requirements?
  1. If Canadian wood packaging destined for the EU does not comply with the new requirements, shipments could be:
  • Refused entry into the EU; or
  • Destroyed; or
  • Treated at the port of entry; or
  • Detained for extensive periods while the consignment is under quarantine.
  1. Who will enforce the new EU import requirements?
  1. The Plant Protection Organizations of the EU member states will enforce the new import requirements.
  1. Do the new EU import requirements apply to Canadian wood packaging shipped to the EU?
  1. Yes. The new EU import requirements regulate non-manufactured wood packaging from Canada as well as China, Japan and the United States.
  1. Do the new EU import requirements apply to Canadian non-manufactured wood packaging shipped to the EU via another country?
  1. Yes. The new EU import requirements apply to non-manufactured wood packaging shipped to the EU via other countries, including the United States and Mexico. The wood material is of Canadian origin and is therefore from an area native to the pinewood nematode.
  1. What type of packaging materials are exempt from the new EU import requirements?
  1. The new EU import requirements do not apply to:
  • Manufactured wood (e.g. veneer, oriented strand board, particle board, plywood, etc.); or
  • Hardwood species (e.g. maple, ash, elm, etc.); or
  • Non-wood material (e.g. plastic, metal, cardboard, etc.); or
  • Cedar (Thuja spp.)

*Note: Packaging must be entirely comprised of one of these materials or a combination of these materials to be considered exempt from the EU import requirements. Packaging made from these exempt materials that also contain non-manufactured products are regulated and must be certified.

  1. Will my export shipments require documentation or paper work?
  1. No. Import permits and phytosanitary certificates are not required. However, certified non-manufactured wood packaging must be marked with a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) approved stamp. The stamp will display the country where the packaging is manufactured (i.e. Canada), the facility’s identification number and the method of treatment.

The following statement may facilitate the inspection and release of consignments, packaged with certified non-manufactured wood, in EU countries and may be included within commercial documentation, invoices and/or Customs clearance documents: “The wood packaging in this consignment meets the phytosanitary entry requirements of the European Union.”

  1. What is the pinewood nematode?
  1. The pinewood nematode is a microscopic roundworm that lives and feeds on tissues within coniferous trees. The pinewood nematode is carried or vectored by wood-boring beetles to uninfected trees. Although the pinewood nematode lives and feeds within its tree host, it usually does not kill healthy trees within Canadian forests. However, in Japan the pinewood nematode causes pine-wilt disease and extensive mortality to pine trees.
  1. What are the member states of the European Union?
  1. The fifteen member states of the European Union are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Ireland, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Wood pallets and packaging

  1. What is non-manufactured wood?
  1. Non-manufactured wood is untreated raw wood which is derived directly from the tree and has only undergone primary alterations (e.g. debarking, sawing, shaping, etc.). Non-manufactured wood is often used to construct wood packaging materials such as pallets, drums and spool cases.
  1. What is manufactured wood?
  1. Manufactured wood is wood that is comprised wholly of wood based products that have been entirely created by wood glue (e.g. plywood), heat and pressure (e.g. particle board) or a combination thereof. Plywood, oriented strand board, particle board and veneer are examples of manufactured wood that are exempt from the new EU import requirements for wood packaging.
  1. What wood treatments are acceptable to meet the new EU import requirements?
  1. The following are acceptable treatments of non-manufactured wood packaging:
  • Heat treated or kiln dried to a minimum core temperature of 56°C for at least 30 minutes in a certified facility. Treated wood must display an approved marking enabling identification of where and by whom the treatment has been carried out; or
  • Pressure (impregnated) treatment with an approved chemical in a certified facility. Treated wood must display an approved marking enabling identification of where and by whom the treatment has been carried out; or
  • Fumigation with an approved chemical by a certified facility. Treated wood must display an approved marking enabling identification of where and by whom the treatment has been carried out.
  1. Where can I get treated wood to produce wood packaging that meets the new EU import requirements?
  1. The CFIA website (http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/for/fore.shtml) provides a list of approved heat treatment and kiln drying softwood lumber facilities that supply wood meeting the new EU import requirements.
  1. Where can I get certified non-manufactured wood packaging?
  1. Certified Canadian wood packaging facilities will be listed on the CFIA website (http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/for/woode.shtml).
  1. Can I send uncertified non-manufactured wood packaging currently in use or in inventory to the EU?
  1. No. As of October 1, 2001, all non-manufactured wood packaging (except those comprised of Thuja spp. or hardwood) must meet the new EU requirements.
  1. Can I send recycled non-manufactured wood packaging to the EU?
  1. As of October 1, 2001, all components of wood packaging, including recycled wood, must meet the new EU requirements and must be stamped in accordance with the Canadian Wood Packaging Certification Program.

Canada Wood Packaging Certification Program

  1. How will the Canadian Government assist Canadian product exporters?
  1. The CFIA, Forestry Canada and Canadian wood packaging and pallet manufacturing representatives have developed the Canadian Wood Packaging Certification Program (CWPCP). Facilities will be registered and certified to produce wood packaging that will meet the new EU import requirements.
  1. What is the Canadian Wood Packaging Certification Program?
  1. The CWPCP is a CFIA approved program that registers and certifies facilities to produce non-manufactured wood packaging that will meet the new EU import requirements. Certified wood packaging facilities will be obligated to maintain an inventory control system and obtain treated wood from certified treatment facilities. Additionally, certified facilities will be obligated to mark treated wood with an approved stamp.

Currently, a list of approved heat treatment and kiln dry facilities is located on the CFIA website (http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/for/fore.shtml). Building materials obtained from these facilities meet the EU requirements and can be used to construct wood packaging. In the future, fumigation and chemical pressure impregnation facilities will be certified to produce treated non-manufactured wood.

For more information please review the Plant Protection Policy Directive D-01-05 on our website (http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/protect/dir/directe.shtml).

  1. Why has Canada developed a wood packaging certification program?
  1. Canada has developed the Canadian Wood Packaging Certification Program to ensure continued market access for Canadian products which require the protection and the support of wood packaging material destined for international markets, including the EU.
  1. Who needs to register with the Canadian Wood Packaging Certification Program?
  1. Companies that either produce new or recycled wood packaging that is destined for EU countries.
  1. Who should I contact for assistance?
  1. Please contact a local CFIA office. A directory is maintained on the Forestry Section home page (http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/directory/offbure.shtml).
  1. How do I register in the Canadian Wood Packaging Certification Program?
  1. An application form must be completed and signed by a producer or recycler indicating that they are willing and able to comply with the terms and conditions of the CWPCP. A copy of the application form is attached as Appendix 2 within D-01-05. The completed form shall be submitted to a local office of the CFIA, accompanied with a copy of the facility’s quality plan.

Once the application form and quality plan have been reviewed by the CFIA, a certification team will conduct an inspection of the facility’s operational procedures. Compliant facilities will be approved for certification and issued a stamp identification number.

Certified Canadian wood packaging facilities are listed on the CFIA website (http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/for/woode.shtml).

  1. Does Canada have wood packaging import requirements?
  1. Yes. Please review the following Plant Protection Directives D-98-08 and D-98-10 for more information (http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/protect/dir/directe.shtml).

Who Will Be Impacted?

  1. Will I be affected by the new EU import requirements?
  1. The following industries could be impacted by the new EU import requirements:
  • Exporters who manufacture or use non-manufactured wood packaging;
  • Shipping agents;
  • Freight forwarders;
  • Brokers

Future International Guidelines

  1. Is Canada participating in developing an international standard?
  1. Yes. Canada is actively engaged in participating with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) to develop a world standard for wood packaging material in an attempt to reduce the risk of pest transmission into all countries, including Canada.
  1. What is the International Plant Protection Convention?
  1. The International Plant Protection Convention is a multilateral treaty relating to plant health. There are currently 115 governments contracted under the IPPC. The goal of the IPPC is to develop generalized methodologies to prevent and mitigate the introduction and spread of pests of plants and plant products. The IPPC provides a framework and a forum for international cooperation, harmonization and technical exchange between contracting governments dedicated to achieving and maintaining this goal. For more information regarding the IPPC, please review their website (http://www.fao.org/ag/agp/agpp/pq/).
  1. What is the difference between the new EU requirements and the International Plant Protection Standard?
  1. The IPPC standard will regulate all non-manufactured wood packaging comprised of hardwood and softwood species from all countries of the world.

The new EU import requirements regulate the entry of non-manufactured coniferous wood packaging exported from Canada, Japan, China and the United States.

  1. When will the IPPC standard come into effect?
  1. Fall of 2002 at the earliest .
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