Schweighofer gets to keep PEFC certificate

Holzforschung Austria, the Austrian research and testing institute for wood, rejected the complaint against Holzindustrie Schweighofer's PEFC certificate. Romanian authorities and stakeholders could not provide any evidence for violations of the PEFC requirements, according to a press release by PEFC Austria.

Due to allegations made by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and the Romanian Ministry of Environment, PEFC Austria themselves filed a complaint against the certificate on the 6th of August. The organizations EIA, Neuer Weg, Nostra Silva, Bankwatch Romania, WWF Romania as well as the Romanian Ministry of Environment, however, could not provide any proof to corroborate the allegation that Schweighofer fails to comply with certificate standards.

After Holzforschung Austria's impartiality, objectivity and neutrality had been questioned, Akkreditierung Austria, the Austrian accreditation body, conducted an inspection, but no irregularities could be discovered.

"Based on the current state of facts, PEFC Austria accepts the decision made by Holzforschung Austria to close the proceedings", Hans Grieshofer, chairman of PEFC Austria, comments.