U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer directed the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to block all future timber imports from a Peruvian exporter after illegally harvested timber was discovered in its supply chain.
Peru’s timber verification process revealed that a shipment from the exporter—WCA—was harvested illegally. The United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement requires that all timber shipments be harvested legally.
“Peru must increase its efforts to combat illegal logging,” Lighthizer said in a press release. “The United States is doing our part by enforcing our trade agreement and ensuring that illegally harvested timber cannot be exported to our country.”
It is the second time the Trump administration has halted a timber shipment from Peru.