The impact of the EU Timber Regulation on the Bosnia and Herzegovinian export of processed wood

Sammanfattning: Illegal logging and its related trade is of great concern around the world. The European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) is a regulatory approach by the EU to prevent illegal timber and timber products to be placed on the European Union inner market. This means the regulation affects both actors in the member countries as well as the actors exporting timber and timber products to the EU from non EU member countries. This study aims to study the implementation process of the EUTR in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B-H), and its preconditions. Institutional theory is used to understand and explain how the EUTR affects B-H organisations’ business environment, and how the organisations choose to respond to the EUTR. Methodologically, the study is based on qualitative interviews with representatives from the B-H exporting industry of processed wood products, authorities and research institutions. The pressure from the EUTR is realised in B-H on different governmental levels, and there is no responsible authority chosen for the implementation. However, the knowledge of the EUTR is somewhat spread among the respondents, and is expected increasing with time. The respondents’ perception of the EUTR is overall positive, and the EUTR is believed to reduce illegal activities related to forest trade in the region in the future. The lack of human and monetary resources together with an unfair market competition from organisations using illegal wood reduce the legal organisations’ capacity to implement the EUTR. So far, respondents from the authorities and the research institution has responded to the EUTR for example by arranging seminars aiming to spread the knowledge of the EUTR, and more organisations are starting to respond the institutional pressure from the EUTR. The implementation of the EUTR is hampered by a complicated administration and a lack of funding and knowledge. There is however a positive attitude towards the regulation among the respondents, as they are taking the issue seriously, and believe the EUTR will contribute to a reduction of illegal activities in the future.