USTR Announces Enforcement Action to Block Illegal Timber Imports from Peru

10/19/2020

|

Ambassador Robert Lighthizer | United States Trade Representative

Washington, D.C. – Today, United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer directed United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to continue to block future timber imports from Inversiones La Oroza SRL (Oroza), a Peruvian exporter, based on illegally harvested timber found in its supply chain. The current CBP denial of entry order against Oroza was set to expire this month. This marks the third time that the Trump Administration has taken such an enforcement action under the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement’s (PTPA) Annex on Forest Sector Governance (Forest Annex), further demonstrating its commitment to keeping illegal timber out of the United States and enforcing our trade agreements.  

“President Trump takes seriously and is prioritizing enforcement of our trade agreements,” said Ambassador Lighthizer. “We remain committed to trade and investment that accelerates economic growth and simultaneously protects the environment. We will continue to monitor Peru’s compliance with its obligations under our trade agreement to ensure that illegally-harvest timber cannot be exported to the United States.”

To read the full press release, click here