NETHERLANDS: NO IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001046 SIPDIS DEPT FOR OES/ENRC (MJOHNSON) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV EAID EAGR ETRD EINV BTIO NL SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS: NO IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO IMPLEMENTATION OF AMENDED LACEY ACT DEMARCHE REF: STATE 126654 Emboff delivered reftel demarche on December 19 to Marjan Schippers, Head of the Natural Resources and Ecosystem Management Division in the Environment and Water Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Antje van Driel, Senior Policy Officer on Forests and Biodiversity. Schippers and van Driel had no immediate response, but said they would disseminate the information among colleagues, including at the Ministries of Economic Affairs and Agriculture. They requested additional information on which products will be affected, when it becomes available, and on the enforcement mechanism, including repercussions for exporters who unknowingly ship goods that contain illegal material. FAS Counselor also shared reftel points with J. Deelstra, Director for International Affairs at the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (MA),H.A. Harmsma, Managing Director at the Plant Protection Service at the MA, and H.J. Jeuring, Senior Public Health Officer at the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, an independent agency at the MA. Post will report any substantive comments. CULBERTSON