European Wood Preservative Manufacturers Group

Regulation

EWPM actively contributes to the development and implementation of European regulation affecting the wood preservation sector.

The organisation is a member, appointed by the Director General of DG Environment, of the Industrial Emissions Directive Article 13 Forum, operating as an expert group supporting IED processes. EWPM also participates in the Technical Working Group responsible for developing the Best Available Techniques Reference document (BREF) for wood preservation with chemicals.

EWPM is recognised as an Accredited Stakeholder Organisation (ASO) working with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) on regulatory aspects concerning biocidal products. In addition, EWPM engages directly with representatives of the European Commission and Member States and their consultants to contribute industry expertise to regulatory development.

Technical guidelines for assessing various aspects of the safety of wood preservatives are developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in cooperation with EWPM.

Standards

EWPM contributes to the development of European standards relevant to wood preservation through participation and observer status in several technical committees.

CEN/TC 38 is responsible for European standards in the field of wood preservation. Additional relevant committees include CEN/TC 351 on substances used in construction products, CEN/TC 112 covering wood-based panels, CEN/TC 124 dealing with timber structures, and CEN/TC 175 covering round and sawn timber.

EWPM maintains observer status within these committees and actively contributes to related working groups, providing technical knowledge and practical experience from across the sector.

Information and Expertise

EWPM acts as the central European focus for technical and scientific aspects of wood preservation, providing expertise and information to regulators, industry stakeholders and partners throughout Europe.