Nine companies were alleged to have imported teak from Myanmar in violation of the European Union Timber Regulation, according to the Environmental Investigation Agency report “Overdue Diligence”.
The companies, some of which the EIA said are the largest teak dealers in the EU, failed to ensure that illegally logged wood did not enter their supply chains, the report said.
The report identified the companies and the countries they imported teak to: Antonini Legnami, Basso Legnami and Bellotti Spa in Italy; Boogaerdt Wood, Gold Teak Holdings and World Wood in the Netherlands; Crown Teak in Belgium; Keflico in Denmark; and Teak Solutions in Germany.
EIA Forests Campaigner Peter Cooper said in a statement that the companies made some “limited attempt” to conduct due diligence but were prevented from obtaining the information required by the Myanmar Timber Enterprise.
“This lack of information fundamental to due diligence means none of the companies should have conducted this trade, but instead they decided to procure the teak and place it on the market in violation of European law,” he said.
