Protection of natural resources: promotion of tropical forests, Community action

Adopting the report by Mrs Van Putten, Parliament approved the regulation, but it hoped that the Commission would shortly present proposals for a coherent policy from a global perspective, affording particular attention to the regulation and monitoring of timber imports. As far as trade regulation was concerned, Parliament proposed that the Community: - endeavour to secure by 1995, within the ITTO (International Tropical Timber Organisation) the limitation of international trade to timber 'produced by sustainable means'; - if no decisions had been reached internationally, to introduce, from 1995, an eco-label for sustainably produced timber; - to take measures to support the gradual and flexible process of switching to sustainable forest management. The activities carried out in developing countries had to be evaluated with the local people involved, be preceded by reports on their ecological, social and cultural aspects and must not cooperate in the removal of timber from primary tropical forests. Parliament advocated the creation within the European Commission of a new Tropical Forest Unit. �