Australian lawmakers could introduce legislation similar to the Lacey Act later this year, and the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) is acting on behalf of U.S. manufacturers to ensure the bill does not hinder their market access Down Under. If the version eventually signed into law reflects the preliminary version currently under discussion, AHEC Executive Director Mike Snow said AHEC "sees no reason to anticipate market access issues for American hardwoods into Australia."
According to AHEC, an earlier version of the bill included a provision that would have put the burden of proof that a product was sourced legally on the importer; however, that was changed to place the burden of proof on the prosecuting authority. Also, the bill includes "due diligence" requirements on the part of the importer.
Earlier this year, AHEC issued comments supporting the bill during a Senate inquiry in Australia. They also commented that countries representing a "low risk" of exporting illegal timber-such as the U.S.-should not be held to the same level of scrutiny as countries posing a higher level of risk.
