The IMM market update for May 2020 analyses the latest data on EU27+UK imports of tropical wood (HS44) and wood furniture (HS94) from VPA Partner countries and competing non-VPA timber supplying countries.

The update includes:

• a review of VPA partner countries in total EU27+UK imports of tropical wood and wood furniture during 2019 which reveals that last year was the strongest year for these products in the European market since 2007, with Indonesia extending it’s lead as the largest single supplier to this market.
• an overview of latest monthly import data for the EU27+UK region which highlights that the impact of the COVID pandemic was not yet apparent in the first quarter of 2020, but warns that the longer term effects on the European market are likely to be wide-ranging and severe.
• an analysis of the biggest “winners” and “losers” in the EU27+UK market in the 12 months to March 2020 which shows that FLEGT licensed furniture made the greatest gains of all tropical timber products during that period
• analysis of EU27+UK imports from Indonesia which shows that while wood furniture have made gains, imports of Indonesia plywood, mouldings/decking, doors and sawnwood have been slowing.
• analysis of EU27+UK imports from VPA implementing countries in Africa which shows that imports from Cameroon are sliding, while imports are rising sharply from the Republic of Congo and increasing gradually from Ghana.
• analysis of EU27+UK imports from Vietnam which shows that trade with the only VPA implementing country was stable at a high level in the six months to March 2020.
• analysis of the contrasting trends in EU27+UK imports from VPA implementing countries in the LAC region
• analysis of EU27+UK imports from VPA negotiating countries in Asia which highlights a sharp shift to wood furniture in the import mix from Malaysia
• analysis of EU27+UK imports from VPA negotiating countries in Africa, showing that trade is flatlining with Gabon and declining from Cote d’Ivoire and DRC.
• a review of EU27+UK tropical wood trade with non-VPA countries which shows that, after a steep rise in the 2018 and the first half of 2019, imports thereafter slowed from Brazil and China, but continued to increase from India.