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You are here: Home1 / Guyana news2 / The EU and Guyana sign an agreement on sustainable trade of legal timb...

The EU and Guyana sign an agreement on sustainable trade of legal timber

20 December 2022

On 15 December, the European Union and the Government of Guyana signed a legally binding trade agreement to promote sustainable trade of legal timber to the EU. The signing of this deal, known as a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT), took place at the 15 Biodiversity COP in Montreal.

The VPA will give EU-based timber buyers assurance that timber products from Guyana are legal. It will help improve forest governance, tackle illegal logging and promote trade in verified legal timber products. Through the implementation of the VPA, the country will improve market access for law-abiding businesses, as well as modernise its forestry sector, create jobs, promote sustainable development and protect the rights of indigenous peoples.

Signing of the VPA. From the left to the right: Mr. Vickram Outar Bharrat - Minister of Natural Resources of Guyana; Mr. Jan Dusík - Deputy Minister of the Environment of the Czech Republic, EU presidency of the Council; Mr. Virginijus Sinkevičius - European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries.
Signing of the VPA. From the left to the right: Mr. Vickram Outar Bharrat – Minister of Natural Resources of Guyana; Mr. Jan Dusík – Deputy Minister of the Environment of the Czech Republic, EU presidency of the Council; Mr. Virginijus Sinkevičius – European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries. Source: European Commission

Under the VPA, Guyana commits to developing a timber legality assurance system to assess that timber products – for all stages of the supply chain – have been produced in accordance with national legislation. When this system is operational, Guyana can issue verified legal timber products with FLEGT licences. The licence certifies that the timber or timber products exported under that licence are legal.

Guyana is the first country in the Amazon region and the second in the Americas – following Honduras – to sign a VPA on forest law enforcement, governance and trade (FLEGT) with the European Union. The signature marks the end of a 10-year negotiation process, and consolidates Guyana’s position as a frontrunner in the protection, restoration, and sustainable management of forests.

Following the signing of the deal, Guyana and the EU each need to ratify the VPA, according to their respective procedures. Forest stakeholders as the private sector, indigenous peoples, local communities and civil society, have all been closely involved in the negotiation of the agreement, alongside with the Government and EU representatives. They will continue to play a key role throughout the implementation phase.

In parallel to the VPA, Guyana is also one of the first five countries worldwide that signed a Forest Partnership with the EU. The aim of such a partnership is to strengthen cooperation on forests and make an important contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including addressing the challenges of climate change.

Tags: FLEGT, timber trade, Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA)
https://flegtvpafacility.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Signing-VPA-Guyana-EU.jpg 628 1200 Albert Garduno https://flegtvpafacility.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/VPA-Africa-Latin-America-svg-logo.svg Albert Garduno2022-12-20 15:54:472022-12-20 15:54:48The EU and Guyana sign an agreement on sustainable trade of legal timber
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Guyana latest news

  • Signing of the VPA. From the left to the right: Mr. Vickram Outar Bharrat - Minister of Natural Resources of Guyana; Mr. Jan Dusík - Deputy Minister of the Environment of the Czech Republic, EU presidency of the Council; Mr. Virginijus Sinkevičius - European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries.The EU and Guyana sign an agreement on sustainable trade of legal timber20 December 2022 - 3:54 pm

    On 15 December, the EU and the Government of Guyana signed a trade agreement to promote sustainable trade of legal timber to the EU. The signing of this deal, known as a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT), took place at the 15 Biodiversity COP in Montreal.

  • Guyana and EU join forces to meet highest international standards on export of legal timber2 November 2022 - 1:20 pm

    On 27 October 2022, representatives of Guyana and the European Union met to discuss the implementation of their Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA). The Agreement will help improve forest governance and sustainable forestry, and verify the trade in legal timber.

  • Guyana and the EU agree on roadmap to improve forest governance and reduce illegal timber trade22 March 2022 - 10:51 am

    On 10 March 2022, representatives of Guyana and the European Union agreed on a detailed roadmap implementing the Guyana-EU FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), which aims to improve forest governance and verify the trade in legal timber.

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  • Tropical rainforest in the north of the Republic of the CongoLa République du Congo et l’UE rendent compte des progrès de leur APV FLEGT21 December 2022 - 5:06 pm
  • Tropical rainforest in the north of the Republic of the CongoThe Republic of the Congo and the EU report on their FLEGT VPA progress21 December 2022 - 4:58 pm
  • River in the tropical rainforest of central Africa.The Central African Republic and the EU report on their FLEGT VPA progress12 December 2022 - 4:08 pm

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.

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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.

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Except where otherwise noted, content on this site is licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0. Credit information: European Forest Institute, www.efi.int
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