BLOG

As Europe's deadline for the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) quickly approaches, advocacy to delay the rule continues by groups including the American Hardwood Export Council and others. This work seems to be starting to have an effect. U.S. Congress has now asked President Biden to weigh in. The European Commission President recently made some statements acknowledging the ugly reality that EUDR is not ready for implementation in its current form.

DHA continues to promote the natural beauty of decorative hardwood products. The latest example is in Surface and Panel, where we discuss biophilia and how natural, beautiful hardwood products can help connect us to nature and why this is important.

We were saddened to hear that DHA member Rockshield had an extensive fire at their plant in Cochrane, Ontario. We were relieved by reports that there were no injuries and pleased that there is a good chance the plant will recover.

Imports of hardwood plywood are up by 32% so far this year. Imports from Vietnam and Malaysia are more than double last year. In this atmosphere, continuing vigilance by the Department of Commerce is essential. Commerce's recent preliminary determination in its administrative reviews of the 2022…

In a major victory for DHA's hardwood plywood and engineered wood flooring trade coalitions, the Department of Commerce has agreed that Vietnam is still a non-market economy. This is a big decision since Vietnam is the leading source of U.S. imports of both products—and these imports have been growing in recent months. DHA's trade coalitions filed comments advocating for this decision, which will make it harder for Vietnam to obscure trade-distorting practices that harm U.S. manufacturers and workers.

U.S. imports of hardwood plywood are up dramatically this year vs. 2023. Vietnam and Indonesia are the largest sources. Imports from Vietnam are up by 191% through May. It looks like importers of hardwood plywood have adapted to or found a way around the Department of Commerce ruling in 2023 that found that most hardwood plywood imported from Vietnam was circumventing the duties on Chinese hardwood plywood.