In general, since 31 January 2025, the export of products from the EU has been subject to proof of a security declaration, known as an ENS (Entry Summary Declaration). The new procedure is intended to be a simplification compared to previous procedures, as some points have been omitted from previous declarations. Further information (in English) can be found here:
or feel free to contact our BW-UK expert advisory service.
Specific regulations and procedures apply to wood products imported from the EU to the UK and vice versa, which must be observed after Brexit. These provisions apply in both directions, even if, for example, only EU goods are imported back into the EU from the UK because they were delivered as B-grade goods and were rejected by the British customer. The effort involved in returning goods is significantly increased if you want to re-import your own goods that have been exported to the UK.
Imports of wood and construction products into the UK are subject to 0% customs duties if the goods originate in the EU. The origin must be documented (certificate of origin).
Check whether your wood products have the necessary certificates of origin and sustainability (e.g. PEFC – Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes or FSC – Forest Stewardship Council).
The origin of the raw material or manufactured product must be verified. British companies that import timber from the EU must carry out due diligence checks on timber. They are now considered market participants, as the first distributors of timber in the UK. This applies, for example, to British merchants or specialist companies that import timber products for the construction industry, such as fibreboard or other construction products that they were already importing before Brexit. Before Brexit, however, they were merely traders or regular customers of an EU manufacturer, with limited obligations. After Brexit, under the UK Timber Regulation (UKTR), they are required to prove that the timber they import and sell on the British market has been legally harvested:
stipulates that the timber must come from a legal and sustainable source. This can be verified, for example, through certifications such as PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) or FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). Your products must be correctly labelled, and you must provide the necessary documents proving the origin of the timber. These can include contracts, commercial invoices and certificates of origin.
This really does apply to all wood-based products, e.g. raw wood, veneer sheets, parquet flooring, OSB, packaging crates, wooden cable drums, barrels, shingles, pulp and paper, and last but not least, prefabricated buildings.
For wood products exported from the EU to the UK, the phytosanitary certificate (PSC) is one of the mandatory accompanying documents for export. The exporter must have the phytosanitary certificate issued in paper form (as a PDF) by their local authority no earlier than 13 days before the date of export. Once the local authority has issued the PSC, a PDF copy is sent to the importer in the UK. The original is enclosed with the goods. Further information can be found in German at the following link on the official website of the British Government’s Publishing Service:
NOTE: Phytosanitary standards now also apply to transport pallets
Wooden pallets must be marked with the IPPC stamp. The ISPM 15 standard was introduced for international trade to ensure that wood is free from living pests. As the UK is now a third country and no longer a member of the EU, the international standards now also apply between EU countries and the UK.
