For a variety of reasons, problems are still being encountered in exports of Russian softwood logs to the EU at reduced rates of customs duty. Since Russia's accession to the WTO, spruce and pine logs can be imported into the EU at reduced rates of duty under the export quota agreed between the EU and Russia. After initial difficulties in the EU in allocating shares of the quota, the EU Directorate General Trade has meanwhile approved some 150 import applications. The Russian authorities, however, had only issued 30 of the 150 possible export licences by the end of October 2012.These thirty licences so far enable logs to be supplied to Finnish and Latvian timber importers.
Source:
http://www.euwid-wood-products.com/news/roundwoodsawnwood/single/Artikel/russian-log-exports-not-yet-running-on-schedule.html
