Legally Required Document

Title in original language: Autorisation de coupe annuelle

Autorisation portant sur l’ouverture de la 2e année d’exploitation et sur le stock fûts de fin d’année de l’assiette annuelle de coupe (autorisation d’achèvement)

Holder of Document: Forest operator – the forest administration holds a copy 

Signature required by:
head of the local department of the Forestry Ministry

Key considerations when checking the doc:
Is the harvesting license up to date?

Is the date of signature of the license prior to the dates on transport documents?

Is the holder of the license the same entity than the concession holder?

Is the area being harvested the area planned in management documents (management plan, five-year programme, annual programme)?

What are the species mentioned and are they the species being traded?

Are the authorized volumes in line with volumes being traded?

If applicable, has the completion licence been granted at the latest on 2nd of January of the following year and for a harvesting period not exceeding 6 months?

If applicable, is the completion licence authorized volume in line with the initial authorised volume and taking into account what has already been logged?

Purpose and content of document:
Every concession holder (whether or not it has an approved management plan) must annually obtain the annual logging licence before it can start logging. The logging licence limits the volume of wood according to the species and the annual allowable cut. If the company has not exhausted its allowable cut by the end of the calendar year, the regulations authorise the forest administration to grant a completion licence by 2 January of the following year for a harvesting period not exceeding 6 months.

Evidence limitations and weaknesses:
Does not constitute in itself proof that volumes and species requirements are enforced, nor that the limit of the annual cut area is respected nor that logging did not take place prior to issuance of the annual license.