Info

Stages of development of forest certification in the Republic of Belarus 

Year 1999 

 

Working council for forest certification is established  (Order of the Ministry of Forestry as of  22.02.99 №27 «On forest certification in the Republic of Belarus»)  to ensure: development and implementation of the common policy in the field of forest certification;  organization and implementation of the forest certification in the Republic of Belarus; improvement of ecological level  of forestry management;  expansion of export possibilities and competitiveness of forest products. 

 

Decision on creation of Sub-system of forest certification in the Republican of Belarus  within  the frames of the National certification system of the Republic of Belarus is taken  (joint Order of the Ministry of Forestry and State Committee of Standardization as of 1 8 August 1999 г. No.162/190 «On forest certification works in the Republic of Belarus»).

 

International  scientific and practical seminar “Forest certification in the Republic of Belarus» is held.

 

Program of  activities in the field of forest certification in the Republic of Belarus  for  years 1999-2000 is approved. 

 

Year 2000 

 

Regulations on forest certification in the Republic of Belarus are approved.  Regulations stipulate main goals, tasks, objects and requirements of forest certification within the Sub-system of forest certification of the National certification system of the Republic  of Belarus and define basic principles and rules for organization of works, organizational structure and functions of  forest certification bodies. 

 

Year 2002 

 

First Belarusian state standards  for sustainable forest management and forest use  and organizational and methodical documents of Sub-system of forest certification are approved and put into operation.

 

Year 2003 

 

Preparatory works for certification of forest management and forest use, and forest products  of Smorgonskij, Volkovysskij, Shchuchinskij, and Glubokskij  forest enterprise, within the National certification system of the Republic of Belarus, are completed.  The works are done within the State scientific and technical program «Forests of Belarus»  for  years  2001 -2003.

 

Year 2004 

 

The following works are completed in the field of forest certification, and within  the frames of  the State scientific and technical program «Forests of Belarus»  for  years 2003-2005:

а) state standards of sustainable forest management and forest use, and organizational and methodical documents for forest certification system are developed; 

б) the following enterprises in the structure of the Ministry of Forestry are certified:

• Final evaluation of Smorgonskij, Volkovysskij, Shchunskij, and Glubokskij forest enterprises; 
• Preliminary assessment of Ivatsevichksij,  Telekhanskij, Slutskij, Orshanskij, Stolbtsovskij, and Osipovichskij  forest enterprises. 

 

Program of training of experts-auditors on forest certification is developed (and approved on  22.12.2004).

 

Year 2005 

 

Program  for forest certification works in the Republic of Belarus  for   years 2005 - 2006  is developed. The Program is agreed by the State Committee of Standardization on  03.01.2005, and approved by the Ministry of Forestry on 03.01.2005.

 

Experts-auditors on forest certification are trained in the State institution  «Republican  educational center for training, re-training and improvement of skills of forestry manpower»  and Belarusian Technological University. 

 

National certificates for forest management and forest use were given to 10 forest enterprises of Belarus. 

 

Belarusian Association for Forest Certification System is established and duly registered  (certificate on state registration №190642130).

 

On 29 October Belarus is  included as member of PEFC Council at the 9th. General Assembly of PEFC Council. 

 

Year 2006 

 

National certificates for forest management and  forest use, and forest products are given  to 9 forest enterprises. 

 

Year 2007  

 

National certificated for forest management and forest use, and forest products were given to 19 forest enterprises. 

 

Republican Association  for Forest Certification System submitted national forest certification system  to PEFC Council for endorsement. 

 

Year 2008 

 

18 forest enterprises received national certificates for forest management and forest use, and forest products. 

 

Year 2009 

 

11 forest enterprises received national certificates for  forest management and forest use,  and  7 forest enterprises received  CoC certificates. 

 

Year 2010 

Forest certification system is endorsed by PEFC Council,  but only in the field of compliance of forest management and forest use  with  PEFC requirements.

 

94 forest enterprises received national certificates for forest management and forest use, which are  recognized by PEFC Council, including: 90 forest enterprises controlled by the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Belarus;  1 forest enterprise controlled by the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Belarus; and  3 forest experimental facilities of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.

 

Year 2011 

 

Forest certification system in the field of forest products is endorsed by PEFC Council as meeting requirements of PEFC.

 

99 forest enterprises received certificates for forest management and forest use, which are recognized by PEFC Council. 

 

26 forest enterprises received national CoC certificates, which are recognized by PEFC.

 

Tear 2012

 

106 legal entities working in the field of forestry management  are PEFC  certified. 

 

81 enterprises  received PEFC CoC certificates. 

 

Year 2013 

 

92 organization received PEFC CoC certificates.

 

Year 2017

 

Republican Association  For Forest Certification System submitted revised forest certification system. The system was  re-endorsed  by PEFC Council at the General Assembly of PEFC Council on 27 October  2017.