Indonesia Secures Legal Timber License From EU
Jakarta. Indonesia has obtained the much sought-after Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade Voluntary Partnership Agreement, or FLEGT-VPA, from the European Union, which will allow the country to export more timber products and help it combat illegal logging.
FLEGT-VPA is an agreement between the EU and several countries, including Indonesia, designed to ensure legality in processing, harvesting and trading timber products.
The road to this eventual agreement has been a long one. The Indonesian government initiated the Timber Legality Verification, or SVLK, in 2003, kicked off negotiation with the EU on the FLEGT-VPA in 2007, signed the FLEGT-VPA agreement in 2013 and ratified it in 2014.
The EU decided to grant Indonesia the FLEGT-VPA license thanks to the country's adherence to the SVLK.
"Apart from combating illegal logging, the license will also give us leverage, especially as a country which produces high-standard timber products,” said Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya at a press conference on in Jakarta on Thursday (12/05).
The press conference, held at the Environment and Forestry Ministry office in South Jakarta, was also attended by Trade Minister Thomas Lembong, Industry Minister Saleh Husin and Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.
Trade Minister Thomas said the license will expedite due diligence procedures before any product enters the European market, saving the country time and money, and ultimately boost export to EU countries.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Retno said, “We need to make sure our export destination countries are only authorizing legally processed timber products,” adding that the license proves Indonesia is taking environmental protection seriously.
Indonesia's other export destination countries for timber products include Australia, the United States and Japan.
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