Joint instruction on the procurement of wood products

• in accordance with the German Awarding and Contracting Code for Building Works, Part A (Vergabe- und Vertragsordnung für Bauleistungen (VOB/A)) and
• the German Awarding and Contracting Code for Services, Part A (VOL/A)), as respectively amended.

The Federal Government supports the certification of sustainably managed forests and will use only wood from certified stands in its procurement measures.

In addition to the above-mentioned awarding and contracting codes, the following must be complied with when procuring wood products:

Wood products procured by the federal administration must demonstrably come from legal and sustainable forest management. The bidder must furnish proof of this by presenting an FSC or PEFC certificate, a comparable certificate or by producing individual specifications. Comparable certificates or individual specifications are accepted if the bidder can prove that the FSC or PEFC criteria that apply to the respective country of origin have been met.

The attached "Explanatory notes regarding the procurement of wood products" of 2 December 2010 are part of this instruction.

This instruction comes into force on 17 January 2011 (promulgation in the Joint Ministerial Gazette).

This decree replaces the Joint Instruction of BMWI, BMELV, BMU and BMVBS dated 17 January 2007.

Berlin, 22 December 2010.

For the Federal Minister of Economics and Technology
signed: Dr. Bernhard Heitzer

For the Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection
signed: Dr. Robert Kloos

For the Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
signed: Jürgen Becker

For the Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Development
signed: Rainer Bomba

Valid since:

17.01.11