Gabon

Background

Learn more about the Gabon-EU VPA, which aims to address illegal logging, improve forest governance and promote trade in legal timber products.

Gabon’s efforts to tackle illegal logging

Gabon has made efforts to address illegal logging, a significant problem the country has struggled with for decades. In 2001, Gabon passed a Forest Law that calls for good governance and the sustainable management of forests. Forests are also a key component of the 2005 Gabon Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy and of the 2012 Strategic Plan on ‘Rising Gabon’ (in French, Plan stratégique Gabon émergent).

Recent developments

Certification:

In September 2018, the President announced that all operators must be FSC certified by 2022. However, regulatory instruments have yet to be adopted to implement this announcement. This obligation was subsequently postponed to 2025.
In November 2019, Gabon became the first country in the Congo Basin to develop and operationalise a Pan African Forest Certification (PAFC)scheme, which certifies sustainable forest management and the traceability of wood from the forest to the final product.

Log export ban:

Gabon has banned the export of logs since 2011. This log export ban has quadrupled the sector’s contribution to national GDP (EUR 750 million), tripled the value of exports (EUR 1 billion) and tripled the number of jobs in the sector (26,000 employees).

Legal reform:

In June 2020, Gabon published its national policy for the timber sector— Vision 2025/2030’.’
The revision of the Forest Code of 2001 has been ongoing for several years. A draft text is currently subject of a wide public consultation.
In 2021, the Minister in charge of forest published an Order on the ”creation, organisation and operation of the system for monitoring the legality and traceability of timber in Gabon” (SCLT-Gabon). The SCLT aims to certify that timber and timber products were legally logged and that the various stages in the timber supply chain, from logging to export, are well known and have been carried out in accordance with national and international sustainable management standards.” The timber is then certified “Legal wood from Gabon” and benefits from reduced control measures.
In September 2021, the Council of Ministers adopted an Ordinance on climate change, which aims to “maintain Gabon’s carbon neutrality by 2050.” It also seeks to “enhance the economic potential linked to ecosystem services and natural capital.”

CAFI:

Gabon is committed to preserving forests and reducing greenhouse gases emission by 50% by 2025 through sustainable land use. In 2017, it was the second country in Africa to sign a Letter of Intent with the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI) for USD 18 million. The Letter of Intent is articulated around three objectives: a national-land use plan; a system to monitor forests and natural resources, as set in the country’s National Investment Plan; and gains in forest governance.

What is a VPA?

A Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) is a legally binding trade agreement between the EU and a timber-exporting country outside the EU. A VPA aims to ensure that all timber and timber products destined for the EU market from a partner country comply with the laws of that country.

Besides promoting trade in legal timber, VPAs address the causes of illegality by improving forest governance. A major strength of VPAs is that they look beyond trade to consider development and environmental issues.

Stakeholders in Government, the private sector and civil society develop VPAs through participatory processes. A VPA is therefore a vehicle for addressing the needs of different stakeholders and for including many people who have never before had a voice in decision making.

VPAs are a key component of the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan of 2003. Gabon is one of several tropical countries that are negotiating VPAs with the EU.

Key elements of a VPA

Key elements of a VPA are described in its main text and annexes. In countries where VPAs have already been signed, these include:

A timber legality assurance system to verify that timber products are legal and can be issued with FLEGT licences.
Commitments to legal reforms, public disclosure of information and other improvements to forest governance.
A framework for overseeing, monitoring and evaluating implementation of the VPA and its economic, social and environmental impacts.

Status of the Gabon-EU VPA negotiations

Forests make an important contribution to Gabon’s economy, and provide jobs and livelihoods for people in the country. Gabon exports 90% of its timber production, mainly to China, India and Europe. Illegal logging, driven by trade, is one of several deforestation drivers. Following a ban on the export of logs in 2010, the timber processing industry has developed significantly.

Gabon and the EU began negotiating a VPA in September 2010. Awareness raising, consultation sessions and forest sector assessments helped stakeholders identify forest governance challenges and build the legality definition. The EU and Gabon have had initial discussions on the legislation and indicators to include in the VPA legality definition and the basis on which to build a timber legality assurance system. However, progress has been slow and there has been no negotiation session since 2011. Nevertheless, in November 2019, in a letter to the EU, the Forest Ministry expressed his intention to relaunch the negotiations. The VPA process has enabled stakeholders to come together and engage in the forest law reform process.

VPA status

2010
September: Negotiations started

Key dates in Gabon’s efforts to tackle illegal logging

2001
Gabon passes its current Forest Law.
2005
Gabon passes a Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy, in which forests play a key role.
2010
Gabon and the EU start negotiating a VPA and hold the first negotiating session.
2011
Gabon and the EU hold the second negotiation session.
2012
Gabon presents a national Strategic Plan on ‘Rising Gabon’.
2016
The revision of the forest code initated.
2019
Gabon sends a letter to the EU expressing intent to relaunch negotiations.

Civil society participation in the Gabon-EU VPA

Civil society in Gabon participates in the VPA process through a dedicated national platform. All the participating non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have mandates relating to the environment. A few organisations of indigenous peoples have also joined the platform.

A focal point coordinates the platform, runs a permanent secretariat and participates in every step of the VPA negotiations. A platform protocol sets out procedures for information management, participation and membership.

The national platform has enabled civil society in Gabon to speak with one voice. Thus far, the platform has analysed the strengths and weaknesses of the legal framework governing the forest sector. The platform has also built the capacity of local authorities and NGOs across the country.

About the VPA Africa – Latin America Facility

The VPA Africa – Latin America Facility supports the implementation of the EU FLEGT Action Plan with a focus on Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs). The Facility contributes to combating illegal logging and strengthening forest governance while encouraging sustainable economic development in countries that produce or process timber and export to the EU. The Facility is hosted by the European Forest Institute (EFI) and was established in November 2019.

Disclaimer

This website has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union.