Information exchange network on timber legality among key actors in Serbia: An illustrative case study

Abstract

Despite the considerable efforts to mitigate deforestation and forest degradation, illegal logging and unsustainable forest management practices remain pervasive. To deal with the issue of the illegal timber market, the European Union (EU) implemented several initiatives and regulations, the most recent being the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The Regulation brings more stringent requirements and places an additional burden on public authorities and timber traders, which might influence its future implementation. Thus, information availability, transparency and exchange are becoming more and more important. This article provides an illustrative exploration of the policy network of actors that exchange information on timber legality in Serbia, aiming to pinpoint potential gaps and avenues for improvement. Data were collected using interviews and semi-structured surveys of key decision-makers in Serbia, and analysed through Social Network Analysis (SNA). Social networks were visualised using Gephi software. Our results identify ten key actors connected with 53 connections. The findings highlight the importance of strong connections between governmental and non-governmental actors and suggest that the dominance of public actors in the information exchange network for timber legality in Serbia remains a potential weakness for future EUDR implementation and beyond. As trust is essential for building strong relationships and facilitating cooperation, captured network structure may be indicative of high levels of trust among state actors and weak ones with the scientific community, private forest owners and enterprises. This indicates that the policy-makers should focus on strengthening connections with non-state actors, promoting more balanced and inclusive information exchange, and improving the perceived quantity and quality of information exchange.