EU receiving relabeled Russian birch wood through China

The European Union is receiving large volumes of Russian birch wood in violation of sanctions, according to an investigation by German public broadcaster SWR. The raw material is being shipped to China, relabeled, and then exported to Europe as Chinese-origin timber. One of the most notable findings concerns a Chinese subsidiary of Hape International, the German-Swiss toy manufacturer. SWR reporters discovered an offer from the company’s Chinese branch to supply Russian plywood, despite EU sanctions on Russian wood products. Hape’s German headquarters responded that it “cannot comment on legally independent subsidiaries.” Shortly after SWR ...