According to reports, the draft standard is being circulated for consultation by stakeholders, ahead of a key meeting on 18 April.

Finland's forests are mostly certified under a system that is approved by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), but not to FSC standard, which has different conditions to the PEFC.

There have been moves to introduce FSC standards over the past 15 years, encouraged by environmental campaigners including the WWF which rates FSC above PEFC standards.

The relationship between the two certification bodies has been stretched at times, with the PEFC suggesting they work more closely together, while the FSC maintained the differences between them are too great.  

Finland accounts for 27% of the UK's imports of paper and board, amounting to 1.1m tonnes per year.