Forest certification is a voluntary instrument based on private initiative

Dr Markku Simula corrects some possible misunderstandings regarding forest certification:

Forest certification is a private sector instrument based on voluntary participation by the parties to be certified;
The minimum standards for forest management are defined by Law;
Forest certification aims at added value through higher standards than regulation;
Third party auditing of forest management as well as chain-of-custody of forest products contributes to law enforcement as unlawful operations cannot be certified;
The perspective of the government is the promotion of legal compliance;
The role of the public administration in standard setting is the one of an neutral expert by providing information and helping to conclude a compromise (not to e.g. present additional requirements).