Conformity assessment of UFCS against PEFC (2010).pdf - ITS Global

Evaluation and assessment of Uruguayan Forest Certification scheme against the requirements of the PEFC Council
Norms General Committee (UNIT) on 14 December 2009. On the basis of these arrangements it
is assessed that PEFC Uruguay co-ordinated the standard setting process (refer to GD02 and
GD03).
Conforms
Practice
The forest management standards developed by STC-SFM were approved by UNIT’s General
Committee of Norms on 14 December 2009 and subsequently adopted by PEFC Uruguay on 18
December 2009 (refer to GD02 and GD03).
Conforms
4) Has the certification standard been drafted to be applied at individual and/or group
and/or regional level? (Annex 2, 3.3)
Documentation
The UFCS provides for individual certification and group certification (refer to GD02).
Conforms
Practice
The UFCS has not been implemented to date.
Not applicable
5) Has the development of certification criteria been initiated by national forest owners’
organisations or national forestry sector organisations having support of the major forest
owners’ organisations in that country? (Annex 2, 3.4.1)
The UFCS was initiated by a request to UNIT from Uruguayan Society of Forestry Producers, an
organisation with membership representing over 90 percent of forest plantation owners in
Uruguay to develop a sustainable forest management standard for plantations. UNIT, consistent
with their procedures, subsequently established the Project “Access to markets and the
integration through technical normalization” to manage the standard development process.
Conforms
3.1.2 Participatory Process
6) Have all relevant interested parties representing the different aspects of sustainable
forest management been invited to participate in the standard setting process and a
created Forum? (Annex 2, 3.4.1)
Documentation
The STC-SFM, as required by UNIT processes, was appointed consistent with requirements of
ISO/IEC Directive Part 1 (Standard Development, Process and Procedures).
Consistent with UNIT operating procedures, the STC-SFM was formed in 2006 with a diverse
range of institutions and individuals requested to participate (refer to GD02, Section 7 for list of
organisations and individuals asked to participate).
Invitations, as required by UNIT processes, covered economic, social and environmental
interests in Uruguay, including forest owners, forest industry, government (environmental,
agricultural and forestry agencies), non-government organisations (such as Asociacion National
de ONG-ANOG), academia and unions. This was confirmed by a review of letters of invitation to
participate on the STC-SFM and minutes of meetings of STC-SFM as well as discussion with
relevant stakeholders held during Field Visit.
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