After five years of legal proceedings, Cees Boogaerdt, together with his company Boogaerdt Hout, has been completely acquitted of all charges related to the import of teak from Myanmar. The court concluded that Boogaerdt was acting as a trader and not as a market participant, which meant he was not responsible for the legality of the import documents. This reports the platform Houtwereld.
The case revolved around teak brought to the Dutch market via Italian and Croatian importers. The public prosecutor claimed that there were constructions to circumvent the European Timber Regulation (EUTR). However, according to the court, the Italian and Croatian companies involved were legitimate market operators with correct import documentation. As a result, the previously demanded fine is cancelled and a seized batch of teak is released.
Boogaerdt expressed relief and expressed gratitude for the support he received during the court case. He stressed that the company had made many efforts at the time to import teak under PEFC certification, but had just failed. Since the military coup in Myanmar in 2021, trade with the country has become completely impossible.
Source: Timber World
Schrijf je in voor onze dagelijkse nieuwsbrief om al het laatste nieuws direct per e-mail te ontvangen!
Inschrijven Ik ben al ingeschreven