New Zealand Timber and Wood Products Procurement Policy (TWPP)
Purchasing paper under the Timber and Wood Products Procurement Policy
The Government’s Timber and Wood Products Procurement Policy has been amended by Cabinet decision in November 2006, so that it now applies also to paper1. Government agencies are typically large users of copy paper, so the New Zealand government’s policy to prevent its agencies from purchasing illegally harvest timber products will be more effective if it applies to paper, as well as other forms of timber products.
This means that government agencies are now required to seek paper from legally harvested forests when renewing or initiating a new term-supply or tender contract.
The simplest way to fulfil your obligation to seek legal and sustainable paper is to follow the same guidelines as for all timber and wood products as outlined in Policy Guidelines for the Timber and Wood Products Policy.
Under the policy guidelines, recycled paper is considered to be equivalent to ‘legally-sourced’ paper where 70 percent or higher of the total paper content is from recycled paper.
Helpful information
The Ministry for the Environment’s Govt3 Programme provides helpful information about purchasing paper according to legality and sustainability requirements.
1Under the policy paper products are defined as those falling under harmonised system codes 4802: Uncoated paper and paperboard, used for writing, printing or other graphic, non perforated punch-cards and punch tape paper, in rolls or rectangular sheets, of any size, other than paper of heading 48.01 or 48.03; hand-made paper and paperboard.
Contact for Enquiries
Senior Policy Analyst
International Policy
MAF Policy
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 4 894 0650
Fax: +64 4 894 0742
Contact this person
