Asean Member States Discuss Illegal Logging and Associated Trade
Jakarta. Representatives of the European Union, Asean and Asean member states attended a joint workshop in Jakarta to share progress and experiences in addressing illegal logging and timber trade on Thursday (06/12).
Part of a three-day event from Dec. 6 to 8, the workshop hopes to increase stakeholder participation in the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade, or FLEGT, action plan.
The EU FLEGT Action Plan is the EU’s initiative against illegal logging, which reduces the practice by strengthening the sustainability and legality of forest management, improving forest governance and promoting trade in legally produced timber.
Indonesia’s timber legality assurance system, called Wood Legality Verification System, or SVLK, is subject to independent monitoring by civil society and periodic evaluation by an independent auditor. The implementation of the FLEGT license means that SVLK meets the requirement of EU’s Voluntary Partnership Agreement, or VPAs, which ensures that exported products come from legal sources.
In November, Indonesia became the first country in the world to issue FLEGT licenses — a major milestone in the global effort to combat illegal logging and associated illegal timber trade.
“Indonesia has met the EU’s high standards through a comprehensive participatory process involving all stakeholder groups,” said Putera Parthama from the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry.
Indonesia is the EU’s third largest wood exporter, sending a total of €485 million ($513 million) worth of wood products to EU countries in 2015.
Putera noted that the efforts made to issue FLEGT licenses also ensure sustainable development, improve livelihoods and help the country in addressing climate change. Furthermore, it also gives Indonesian wood products a competitive advantage in the European Union Market.
“Indonesia is now issuing the world’s first FLEGT licenses and enjoying enhanced access to the EU Market. We hope Indonesia’s experiences inform and inspire other countries as they develop their timber legality assurance systems,” said EU Ambassador to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam, Vincent Guerend.
According to EU Ambassador to Asean Francisco Fontan Pardo, EU is currently working bilaterally with six Asean member economies on FLEGT. In the future, Asean member states may adopt a regional mechanism for mutual recognition of timber legality.
The Fifth Sub-Regional Training Workshop on Timber Legality Assurance is co-organized by the Asean Secretariat, the Indonesian government and the EU FLEGT Facility.
Tags: Keywords: