The Russian National Council of Forestry Certification has submitted the Russian National Forest Certification System for PEFC endorsement. Its full documentation is available at the PEFC Council website www.pefc.org for public consultation and all interested individuals and stakeholders groups are invited to comment on the system by 30 March 2008.

Professor Alexander Isajev, Chairman of the Russian National Council for Forest Certification, said: "PEFC certification is of utmost importance to the forest and timber sector in Russia. We are delighted to submit our forest certification scheme for PEFC endorsement and look forward to advancing forest certification in Russia."
Mr Ben Gunneberg, Secretary General of PEFC Council underlined that "Russia has been identified as the highest priority in regional certified area growth over the next ten years in our Strategic Plan. We are therefore delighted to start the endorsement process of the Russian National Forest Certification System with the public consultation period.
The comments received will be integrated in the assessor's report. The independent assessment prior to any PEFC endorsement ensures that a consistently high and stringent quality and performance level is applied by all PEFC endorsed certification systems globally."
The Russian National Forest Certification System documentation can be reviewed under www.pefc.org > Members&Schemes > Russia > Russian National Forest Certification System.