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The document outlines Belgium's legal framework for the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), noting that while the penalty regime allows for high fines and imprisonment, enforcement is hindered by low human and financial resources. Between March 2013 and mid-July 2017, the Competent Authority conducted only 26 checks on operators. It also details the limited legal avenues for NGOs to challenge inaction by the Competent Authority regarding substantiated concerns.

The document outlines Germany's legal framework for the EUTR, specifically the Holzhandels-Sicherungs-Gesetz (HolzSiG), and details the roles of the Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung (BLE) and regional authorities. It describes the penalty regime, which includes criminal sanctions for intentional offences and administrative fines up to €50,000. Enforcement data shows that between mid-2013 and January 2016, the BLE checked approximately 370 operators, finding around 50 in breach. The brief also notes challenges regarding legal standing for challenging CA inaction in administrative courts.