Additional guidance Timber Importers and traders
You should read these guidance notes together with the general guidance notes for importers and
exporters (GN1), and the general guidance notes for commercial use within the European Union (GN2), where appropriate.
These notes are only for guidance and are not a full statement of the law. If you need points of law to be explained, you should get independent legal advice.
This page is available as a downloadable document here 
- Specimens covered
- Import and (re)export controls
- Applications to import timbers listed on Annexes A, B and C
- Additional Controls - Article 10 Certificates
- Timber and Woody species included in the EC Regulations
- Health controls
- Regulated Species
- (Re) Export/Certificate of origin permit example
Specimens covered
The specimens controlled under the EC Wildlife Trade Regulations are listed on Annexes A, B, C and D (Appendixes I, II, III of CITES). A list of all controlled timber and woody species is attached to this Guidance Note. There are no timber species listed on Annex D.
Import & (re)Export
(Re)Export and import permits are required for imports of specimens listed on Annexes A and B.
(Re)Export permits or Certificates of Origin (the latter for export of timbers that were not listed/included on Appendix III by the exporting country), and self completed Import Notification Forms are required for imports of specimens listed on Annex C.
(Re)Exports permits are required for (re)exports from the EC of timber parts listed on Annex A, B or C of the Regulations.
All (re)Export permits, Certificates of Origin and import permits must be issued by the appropriate CITES Management Authorities prior to the import/ (re)export, and presented to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) when the import takes place. Import Notifications should be completed in advance of each shipment and presented to Customs when the goods arrive together with the (re)export documentation. The contact details for all Management Authorities may be found on the CITES Secretariat's website www.cites.org under the heading “National Contacts”. Individual addresses can also be provided on request from the Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service.
Applications to Import timbers listed on Annexes A and B and C
- Annex A specimens:
As with all specimens listed on Annex A, commercial trade in Annex A timbers originating from the wild is generally not permitted. Applications to import such specimens for non-commercial purposes will be considered on their merits.
- Annex B specimens:
The international trade in specimens listed in Annex B is permitted provided that the required import and (re)export permits have been issued.
- Annex C specimens:
Species listed in Annex C are controlled primarily for monitoring purposes. For these species an Import Notification form must be completed in advance and presented to HMRC on arrival of the specimens, together with the relevant (re-)Export Permit(s) or Certificate(s) of Origin issued by the Management Authority in the exporting or re-exporting country.
Importers who are concerned about the validity of the export documentation they have been issued are advised to check with the Department prior to the shipment of the goods.
Additional controls - Article 10 Certificates
Wild taken timber specimens listed in Annex A are subject to additional controls within the EU: Article 10 sale exemption certificates are required before any commercial use can take place. Certificates may also be needed to certify that Annex A-C specimens were lawfully obtained or imported into the European Union, to facilitate re-export from another EU member state.
Exceptions from the commercial controls
Within the EU, timbers obtained from artificially propagated specimens are not subject to the commercial controls, and can be traded without certificates. But international trade in artificially propagated timbers is subject to import and export permits as specified above.
Antique worked items, which were obtained before 1 June 1947 are also not subject to commercial controls. Antiques are defined at Article 2 of Council Regulation EC No. 338/97 as specimens that were removed from the wild and significantly altered from their natural state for jewellery, adornment, art, utility or musical instruments, before 1st June 1947. They must have been obtained in this condition and require no further carving, crafting or manufacture to effect their purpose. Specimens obtained before this date but which remain substantially unaltered from their natural state do not qualify for this exclusion from the controls. Certificates are, therefore, required for these specimens.Health Controls
The import of timbers and timber products may also be subject to health controls.
Enquiries should be addressed to:
The Forestry Commission
Plant Health Service
231 Corstorphine Road
Edinburgh EH12 7AT
Tel: 0131 314 6414
Fax 0131 314 6148
Email: planthealth@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
Website: www.forestry.gov.uk
Regulated Species
List of species can be found here
(Re) Export/Certificate of origin permit example
An example can be found on the downloadable version of this page.
Page last modified:08 January 2008
Page published:31 January 2008