The draft legislation on the amendment to the timber-trading safeguard act (HolzSiG) already passed by the German Parliament and the Upper House in March 2013 came into force on 8 May. Up until that date, the law only regulated national controls of timber imports from countries which had concluded separate partnership agreements (VPAs) with the EU. The new amendment covers timber imported from all countries, including from the EU.
Source:
http://www.euwid-wood-products.com/news/miscellaneous/single/Artikel/changes-to-holzsig-take-effect.html
