Environ. Cert. News: Cost of Narrowing Choices / PEFC Wins NGO Case

http://www.theamericanconsumer.org/2012/10/01/forest-certification-monopoly-will-increase-consumer-costs-drive-billions-of-losses-to-u-s-timber-industry-and-undermine-sustainability-goals/

Forest certification is becoming an important tool in balancing resource sustainability and economic viability, but there is growing confusion in the marketplace over certification standards and eco labels. According to a new report by the American Consumer Institute (ACI) Center for Citizen Research, that confusion could be driving up prices by as much as 15 to 20 percent for consumers who are willing to pay more for sustainable wood and paper products but may not actually be getting something that is better for the environment.
The ACI report titled – The Monopolization of Forest Certification: Do Disparate Standards Increase Consumer Costs and Undermine Sustainability? – reveals the consequences of a reliance on an FSC-only approach, with a vast majority of US certified timber coming from other certification programs. 

http://pefc.org/news-a-media/general-sfm-news/news-detail/item/1076-pefc%E2%80%99s-robustness-confirmed

The Board of Appeal of Stichting Milieukeur (SMK) has rejected an appeal filed by a coalition of NGOs and confirmed that PEFC International conforms to the Dutch Procurement criteria. This rejection comes one year after the Dutch Timber Procurement Assessment Committee (TPAC) rejected an objection filed by the NGOs as unsubstantiated, ending an exhaustive four year process that confirmed at every stage that PEFC delivers sustainability as defined in the Dutch criteria.