ENRD Statement After Return from APEC Forestry Ministerial in China

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson led the U.S. delegation to the APEC Ministerial on Forestry in China, securing a joint statement that balanced U.S. priorities with those of other member economies. The agreement underscores the administration’s focus on fair trade and environmental enforcement within the wood products sector. Gustafson emphasized the need to address illegal timber trafficking, which undermines domestic industries by distorting market competition.

The U.S. delegation included representatives from the State Department, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, reflecting a coordinated interagency approach. Gustafson highlighted recent prosecutions, including guilty pleas from a yacht builder and paper products manufacturer involved in illegal forest product trafficking. These cases demonstrate the government’s commitment to enforcing environmental laws and protecting American businesses.

ENRD reiterated its readiness to prosecute environmental crimes and co-chairs an interagency group targeting timber trafficking investigations. The division is also part of a Trade Fraud Task Force, which collaborates across federal agencies to combat smuggling and tariff evasion. Recent agreements with APEC members aim to strengthen enforcement efforts and disrupt illegal trade networks.

Gustafson concluded by acknowledging the ongoing challenge of illegal timber trafficking but emphasized the U.S. is taking a leading role in the response. He called for continued international cooperation to investigate and prosecute these crimes, signaling a sustained effort to enforce environmental and trade regulations globally.