Greece and Spain adopt national legislation on illegal logging

Greece is the latest EU Member State to adopt a national implementing legislation for the EUTR. On 29 December 2015, in response to the Commission issuing a reasoned opinion for non-compliance with the EUTR, Greece published provisions on measures and procedures for implementing and enforcing the EUTR, including detailed rules on penalties.

Spain had been subject to an infringement procedure initiated by the Commission following its failure to adopt a national implementing legislation for the EUTR. It has now amended its Forestry Act to introduce provisions on the EUTR. These amendments came into force on 21 October 2015 to provide for administrative penalties for breaches of the EUTR and set up a mandatory declaration system for operators. On 11 December, secondary legislation supporting the implementing law was adopted to establish more detailed provisions.