Therefore, Europe has a particular role in ensuring that social standards, developed over a long period, and which have led to the relative prosperity of the workers and their communities must be upheld strongly and effectively and without exception. It is also time for the basic social standards applicable in forestry' certification to be also applied to all workers throughout the chain of custody. We cannot be seen to be struggling our way out of the current crisis on the backs of w'Otkers by reducing the standards that they have achieved after over a century of social struggle.