NEW FSC CONSULTATION PLATFORM TO BE USED FOR SECOND CONSULTATION
The consultation will start from 1 March 2017. For the first time, we will be using our Consultation Platform. We hope this tool will simplify the consultation process: stakeholders can now read the relevant documents, submit their comments, and provide answers to the consultation questions via a single web page. They can also jump directly to the sections of the standard they are most interested in.
Our consultation web page will redirect to the Online Consultation Platform: there you can find the relevant documentation and submit your comments.
COMING SOON: REGISTRATION FOR WEBINARS
FSC will hold online webinars for interested stakeholders to encourage participation and facilitate the review process. We will publish the proposed dates and registration details for the webinars on the consultation web page.
WHY ARE WE REVISING THE STANDARD FSC-STD-50-001?
The objective of the revision is to streamline the trademark requirements to enhance and ease the labelling and promotion of FSC-certified products. The revision also addresses Motion 29 (The Logo Motion) and Motion 36 (Addressing Market Confusion and Deceptive Practices), which were passed at the FSC General Assembly 2014.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN AMENDMENTS INCLUDED IN THE DRAFT REVISED STANDARD?
- Introduction of a trademark use management system as an alternative to submitting all intended uses of FSC trademarks to the certification body for approval.
- Removal of some prohibitions, including those on general promotion if no FSC sales or production have taken place for 12 months and the use of trademarks at the top of document templates.
- Introduction of guidance on how to describe FSC and products with FSC claims.
- Greater flexibility in choosing labelling elements.
- Reduced size requirements for all marks and greater flexibility in the placement of on-product labels.
- Integration in the standard of the advice notes on labelling products from small and community producers (FSC-ADV-50-003) and on the requirements for the use of the ‘Forests For All Forever’ marks (FSC-ADV-50-004).
To assist stakeholders in reviewing the changes in the standard, FSC will be providing a crosswalk document describing, clause by clause, the differences between the current standard and the revised draft.
We encourage all stakeholders to join the consultation. Your feedback will help us further shape the standard to enhance and ease the labelling and promotion of FSC-certified products.