The German federal directive on public procurement of wood and wood products accepts both PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes) and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) as proof for sustainable production and legal sourcing. On behalf of the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), UNIQUE conducted an expert study on the current status of the two certification schemes FSC and PEFC. The study identified and evaluated complaints and appeals against the systems, and analyzed the systems’ technical and organizational developments since 2010. The study supported the decision-making process regarding the future elaboration of the federal directive on public procurement of wood products.

• Identification and evaluation of complaints and appeals against FSC and PEFC since 2010.
• Overview of technical and organizational developments of the systems since 2010.
• Evaluation of complaints with regard to their relevance to public procurement policy.
• Recommendations for the elaboration and improvements of the public procurement policy.