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Joint session of the CEM and the CFI
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 Jim
Bourke spoke on creating greater opportunities for tropical
timber trade from ITTO's work, and focused on the extent to which
the recommendations of ITTO studies have been implemented. He
noted several shortcomings in ITTO reports, including: a piecemeal
approach to topics; lack of clear, specific and actionable recommendations;
lack of continuity between studies; limited distribution; and
the absence of an organized evaluation of expected outcomes. He
recommended that, inter alia: the terms of references of
commissioned studies be refocused toward outputs and possible
follow-up actions, and the inclusion of promotional activities
in the budgets of studies. |
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From
left to right: Fidel Reyes Lee (Nicaragua), Vice-Chair of the
CFI; Amha Bin Buang, ITTO Secretariat; Astrid Bergquist (Sweden),
Chair of the CEM, Candy Green (USA), Chair of the CFI, and Douglas
Craig Pattie, ITTO Secretariat. |
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Jukka
Tissari, International Trade Center, presented the inception
report of the new pre-project on the review on international wooden
furniture markets. He identified several challenges to the tropical
timber industry, such as: outsourcing of semi-finished products,
tightening environmental regulations, substitution pressure from
new material combinations, the adoption of the internet for export
promotion and procurement, consolidation of large distribution
channels, and non-tariff barriers. |
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