The report is the interim second year report of the FLEG II project assignment “Analysis of the legislative framework for timber tracking system in Ukraine” and is a continuation of the previous year study, the results of which are outlined in the report «Analysis of the legislative framework on timber flow control system in Ukraine and development of improved proposals”.

The report is presented in Ukrainian and in English (separate documents).

This report contains analysis of foreign timber tracking systems based on the study of legislative norms and regulations, instructions on the use of systems, scientific publications, reports of international organizations and national coordinators of international agreements, correspondence, and communications with the experts.

It consists of two parts. The first part of the report presents a general experience of use of the systems in tropical countries, which are the traditional wood exporters to ecologically sensitive timber markets. The tropical countries were studied to highlight that institutional environment plays an important role in creation and functioning of a track and trace systems, which provide a sharp contrast comparing to the European countries approach. It is supplemented with the information on enforcing the existing systems by introducing innovative information systems and biotechnology advances.

The second part of the report is devoted to analysis of electronic timber track and trace systems in Europe. These systems are the examples of modern management solutions in forestry and wood processing sectors aimed at improving the economic efficiency of companies, manufacturing operations, and ensuring transparency of business activities, etc.

The study could be useful in respect to making the choice after all relative systems are analyzed and compared to the national circumstances, meaning that the parts of different systems could be used to improve the system in Ukraine. Provided information could be valuable for the national decision makers.