A political economy of the European Union's timber regulation: Which member states would, should or could support and implement EU rules on the import of illegal wood?

In 2010 the EU Timber Regulation was passed into law supported by a large majority of EU member states. The stated purpose of the Regulation was to prohibit the placement of illegally produced timber within EU markets and thereby promote more sustainable management of the world's forests. Drawing on sixty interviews and written records from nine member states across the EU, we identify variables to explain differences in the levels of political support, and formal and practical implementation of the Regulation. Through systematic assessment, we find that countries that are relatively wealthy, are significant importers of high risk wood, and that have active civil societies were most likely to support the Regulation and to implement its requirements in a timely manner. In contrast the poorest countries least engaged in high risk imports face the greatest challenges with compliance, suggesting an unequal distribution of costs relative to responsibilities.