19.06.2026
ATIBT took part in the Carrefour International du Bois (CIB), held in Nantes from 2 to 4 June 2026. A stand, six events organised at the trade show, international delegations welcomed, a dedicated communication programme: a look back at a packed edition, carried by all of the association’s projects and partners.
A key biennial gathering for the timber and forestry sector, the CIB brought together professionals, buyers, specifiers and institutional stakeholders in Nantes. For ATIBT, this participation continues a recurring presence at the trade show, made possible this year thanks to the financial support of the ConForMa project, complemented by contributions from the EU-Ghana FLEGT, TTT and TDUK projects. The association had a 36 m² stand (XXL hall, aisle I), hosting several partner projects under a shared visual identity, and chose to hold its events in the conference rooms provided by the trade show in order to reach larger audiences.
Six events, six priority themes
Over three days, ATIBT organised six events, each bringing together between 50 and 80 participants and mobilising around forty speakers in total. The ConForMa / Selva Maya round table, moderated by Rainforest Alliance, highlighted the FSC-certified community forest management model carried out by Guatemala’s forest concessions. The round table on legality, organised with TDUK, examined how national legality and traceability systems can be recognised within international due diligence frameworks, drawing notably on the example of Ghana’s FLEGT licence. The EU-Ghana Trade and Investment Forum, co-organised with the Ghana Forestry Commission and Probos, showcased this FLEGT licence, obtained on 10 April 2025, a first for an African country and explored avenues for collaboration between the European and Ghanaian timber industries.
The conference dedicated to lesser known and lesser used timber species (LKTS-LUTS) presented two case studies, on Manilkara in Congo and Eveuss in Cameroon, illustrating the long-term work needed for a species to gain market recognition. The Fair&Precious round table marked the initiative’s tenth anniversary by addressing common misconceptions about certified tropical timber. Finally, the round table devoted to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) brought together importers, producers and the French and Dutch competent authorities to discuss the final stages of preparation ahead of its entry into application at the end of December 2026.
International delegations in the spotlight
The trade show was an opportunity to welcome several international delegations. On the Ghanaian side, six companies Logs & Lumber Limited, FurnArt, Tekura, STP, Logs Court Limited and John Bitar & Co. were present on a dedicated “Ghana Corner”, accompanied by representatives of the Ghana Forestry Commission. On the Guatemalan side, the delegation included Rainforest Alliance, CIRAD for the ConForMa project, ACOFOP / FORESCOM, GIZ, COPADE, as well as representatives of Guatemala’s National Forest Institute (INAB) and a community forest concession. A Central African delegation, made up of forestry administration officials and union representatives, was also present as part of a mission funded by the International Trade Centre (ITC), with technical coordination provided by ATIBT.
On 4 June, Benoît Jobbe-Duval, ATIBT’s Managing Director, also spoke at the FSC France stand for a discussion on responsible tropical timber purchasing. The trade show was also marked by a book-signing session for Jean-Louis Doucet’s “Guide des Arbres d’Afrique Centrale”, which was particularly well received by visitors.
Strong editorial and digital coverage
CIB 2026 generated substantial editorial coverage: 15 articles in ATIBT’s weekly newsletter were devoted to it between April and June, alongside a LinkedIn campaign in French and English running before, during and after the trade show. A dedicated CIB 2026 page was published on the association’s website, and significant press relations work was carried out with national, local and Ghanaian media.
Acknowledgements
ATIBT warmly thanks all the speakers who contributed to the richness of the discussions during these six events, as well as the Ghanaian, Guatemalan and Central African delegations for their commitment and availability throughout the trade show. ATIBT also thanks its partners and funders ConForMa, the EU-Ghana FLEGT Programme, the Tropical Timber Trade Facility (TTT) project, TDUK, and ITC/UNIDO whose support made this participation possible, as well as all the organisations that co-organised the events: Rainforest Alliance, the Ghana Forestry Commission, Probos, FSC and PAFC, among others.
The full CIB 2026 report will be available soon on the ATIBT website.
