Poland blocks exports of Ukrainian timber

The groundless blocking of cargo from Ukrainian woodworking companies has been going on at the Polish-Ukrainian border since 15 March 2025.

Source: Ekonomichna Pravda; Pavlo Vasyliev, Head of the Association of Woodworking Enterprises of Ukraine

Details: Pavlo Vasyliev said that the Polish customs authorities do not allow products that pose a threat to the economic stability of the industry and the entire country to pass through without explanation.

Uniplyt LLC, ODEK Ukraine LLC and Woodland Ukraine LLC applied to the association, reporting they could not transport their products across the border.

Vasyliev stressed that the Polish side is expressing unreasonable suspicions about the timber's origin, although Ukrainian producers provide all the necessary documents.

These include contracts with branches of the State Enterprise Forests of Ukraine, invoices for the supply of timber, logging tickets, certificates of origin and EUTR, OŚWIADCZENIA and DECLARATION OF ORIGIN OF WOODEN PRODUCTS declarations. 

"Despite this, the blockade continues, threatening the export of timber products and the jobs of thousands of Ukrainians," says Vasyliev.

The head of the Association of Woodworking Enterprises reports that the export blockade causes several problems, including financial losses for Ukrainian companies and the budget, the risk of production shutdowns, European partners' refusal to buy Ukrainian products, massive layoffs, and a decrease in confidence in Ukraine as a reliable exporter.

Quote from Vasyliev: "Similar actions by Poland had already had a negative effect in 2023-2024 when Ukrainian producers lost about a third of their customers in the EU due to non-transparent customs restrictions."

The head of the Association of Woodworking Enterprises of Ukraine said that urgent action is needed to solve the problem.

First, negotiations should be initiated with the Polish government at the Cabinet of Ministers level to immediately unblock exports.

Secondly, to provide Ukrainian woodworking enterprises access to electronic consignment notes (e-CN) stored in the unified state system of electronic timber accounting.

Thirdly, the first step in implementing EUDR is to record the GPS coordinates of the timber harvesting site, which will allow for clear identification of the legality of its origin.

"Without transparent control mechanisms, such as e-CN and GPS logging, the Ukrainian timber industry will remain vulnerable to external restrictions and manipulation," Vasyliev added.

He said that the free movement of goods across the border is not only an economic issue but also a matter of stability for Ukrainian industry and jobs.

"Ukraine must act proactively to prevent such trade barriers in the future. The Association of Woodworking Enterprises of Ukraine calls on the government and all stakeholders to work together immediately to resolve this critical situation," the head of the Association concluded.

Background: According to exchange trading results for delivery in the second quarter of 2025, wood processing companies contracted 94% of business wood, a record figure.

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