New EU commissioners walk into illegal logging probe - 19th Nov 2004
Rainforest timber from convicted loggers used in new HQ
Members of the new European Commission have walked into their first legal investigation on their first day in the job - into the use of illegally logged timber from Indonesian rainforests in their state-of-the-art new Brussels HQ.
The outgoing Commission launched an investigation last month into the procurement of wood for the Berlaymont Building, which has been dogged with problems throughout its 13-year, 550m Euro renovation.
Outgoing British Commissioner Neil Kinnock told Green Party MEP Caroline Lucas that whilst the commission was opposed to the use of illegally logged timber it could not confirm that none had been used in the Berlaymont refit and had launched an investigation.
Dr Lucas, who has worked closely with NGOs to bring the use of illegally logged timber in the project to public attention, said: "Investigations have determined that timber originating from threatened Indonesian rainforests and supplied by companies with a track record of illegal logging has been used in the Berlaymont refit.
"That?s completely unacceptable. I?ve asked the Commission to explain how this has happened and to explain what steps it has taken to make sure it never happens again - though Commissioner Kinnock has now launched an investigation, and clearly stated his opposition to the use of such timber, he has remained silent on the latter point, leaving it up to incoming commissioners."
The Indonesian plywood, which has been used in the Berlaymont building despite repeated assurances to Dr Lucas ? a member of the Parliament?s Environment Committee and MEP for South-East England, was uncovered by an investigation led by environmental NGO Greenpeace International.
Dr Lucas has written to Mr Kinnock's incoming Estonian replacement Simm Kallas demanding early proposals to tighten procurement procedures to ensure wood which has been illegally-logged or sourced from non-sustainable forests is never again used in the construction of an EU building.
Dr Lucas added: "If the EU is to uphold its stated commitment to conserving threatened rainforest habitats - and protecting them from further deforestation and biodiversity loss - it must adopt strict procurement guidelines to ensure illegal rainforest-sourced wood is never again used in its own construction projects. Safeguards supposedly in place during this project have manifestly failed.
"But the use of illegally-logged timber must be stamped out across the EU - not just in public construction projects - by enacting and enforcing new legislation to ban the import of illegally-sourced timber throughout the EU."
The Berlaymont building, which has taken 13 years and more than half a billion euros to renovate, boasts 45 lifts, a cinema, a presidential dining room, 6 interior gardens, 6 entrance halls and will house some 3,000 permanent staff.
Greens call for EU ban on import of wild birds
10th Nov 2004
Trade is risk to wildlife, conservation and human health
The Green Party is today calling for a permanent end to the commercial importation of wild birds into the EU. Despite widespread action on wild bird trade in other parts of the world, the EU continues to import hundreds of thousands of birds caught in the wild, a practice which is now increasingly seen as draconian, unethical, and unnecessary.
Penny Kemp, environment spokesperson for the Green Party, commented: "It's about time the EU took action and banned wild bird imports for good; many countries have already banned it, why can't we do the same here?"
"There are so many good reasons for banning the trade, it's hard to believe the EU hasn't already done so. Firstly, there are risks to human health - international movements of wildlife amplify disease risks to humans, as well as livestock, and local wildlife, with disastrous effects on agriculture and economies."
Penny Kemp continued: "The trade is damaging to efforts to conserve endangered wildlife in their natural habitats, and is of course detrimental for the millions of individual birds inhumanely taken from the wild and exploited for profit."
Penny concluded: "Similar legislative changes made around the world have been successful, and banning the trade here will save millions of birds and aid sustainable eco-tourism in the birds' natural environment."
The Green Party's call is part of a wider campaign organised by non-governmental organisations: American Bird Conservancy, Defenders of Wildlife, Greenpeace, IFAW, Jane Goodall Institute, National Audubon Society, RSPCA, Pro Wildlife, and the World Parrot Trust.