Since the start of the FLEGT VPA negotiations between the EU and the Republic of Congo, the involvement of local communities and indigenous peoples in decision-making bodies on forest governance has improved. The VPA encourages the involvement of civil society organisations in non-mandated independent monitoring of forest resource management.
On 25 May 2023, the European Union (EU) and Côte d’Ivoire held the second meeting of the pre-Joint Implementation Committee (pre-JIC) of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) in Abidjan. This Agreement will contribute to increase forest governance, tackle illegal logging and support Côte d’Ivoire’s efforts to improve the management of its natural resources.
Following the finalisation of the VPA negotiations and the initialling of the Agreement on 19 October 2022, and the first pre-JIC meeting on 24 October 2022, this second pre-JIC meeting represents an important milestone in the VPA process. Today’s discussions will provide an opportunity to consider the final preparations for the signing, scheduled for the end of 2023, and the implementation of the Agreement. The meeting was co-chaired by the Minister for Water and Forests and the Ambassador of the European Union.
To date, the VPA negotiations have catalysed a whole series of legal reforms to transform the way the Ivorian forestry sector is managed. Thirty-seven application texts for the 2019 Forestry Code have been published following a participatory and inclusive drafting process aimed at making the regulatory framework more complete and operational. The VPA also contributes to better integrating women in the management of forest resources.
With the signing of the Agreement fast approaching, the focus will now shift to its implementation. This includes setting up a verification system to guarantee legality and traceability of timber sold on the domestic Ivorian market, as well as on international markets, including the EU.
In addition to forest governance and the legality of timber, the implementation of the Agreement will contribute to an increase in revenue for the Ivorian State from a more competitive forestry sector. The implementation of the VPA will also contribute to sustainable forest management, which will make it possible to combat climate change more effectively.
Since the beginning of the FLEGT VPA negotiations on trade in timber and timber products between the EU and Côte d’Ivoire, the country has implemented legal reforms to improve forest governance and fight illegal logging. Some of these reforms are beginning to bear fruit.
The Republic of the Congo and the European Union (EU) have released their joint annual report 2021 on the progress on the implementation of their Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT).
The VPA was signed in 2010 and aims to sustainably manage forests and ensure that all timber and derived products imported into the EU have been legally produced or acquired.
The report provides a detailed overview of the current Congolese forest sector. It also highlights that after 2020, which was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, VPA implementation activities resumed. The report describes progress on the legality assurance system, the evolution of forest regulations, the involvement of stakeholders, as well as the institutional structures, the monitoring and transparency of the Agreement.
The report was presented at the 16th meeting of the Joint Implementation Committee (JIC), held on 24 November in Brazzaville. The CCM is the body in charge of implementing and monitoring the VPA, and includes representatives of the Congolese administration, civil society and private sector, as well as the EU.
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.
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.
The Central African Republic (CAR) and the European Union (EU) have released their joint Report 2018-2021 on the progress on the implementation of their Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT).
The VPA was signed in 2011 and aims to sustainably manage forests and ensure that all timber and derived products imported into the EU have been legally produced or acquired.
The report provides an overview of the current Central African forest sector. It describes progress on the legality assurance system, the evolution of forest regulations, the involvement of stakeholders, as well as the institutional structures, the monitoring and transparency of the Agreement.
The publication of the report on the VPA implementation follows the publication, in July 2021, of the Report on the state of the forest-wood sector in the Central African Republic (2021). This publication aims to provide decision makers, development partners, researchers and the general public with a comprehensive source of information on the Central African forest sector.
More information:
On 27 October 2022, representatives of Guyana and the European Union convened at a Pre-Joint Monitoring and Review Committee (Pre-JMRC) meeting, to review progress of the implementation of the Guyana-EU Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT). The Agreement will help improve forest governance and sustainable forestry and verify the trade in legal timber.
During the meeting, the Parties indicated they will endeavour to sign the Agreement before the end of 2022. The VPA will raise industry standards and living conditions of the sector. After Guyana and the EU sign and ratify the VPA, its commitments will become legally binding.
According to René Van Nes, Ambassador of the European Union to Guyana, “the VPA spearheads Guyana as a global pioneer of sustainable forest management”.
The signature and subsequent ratification will mark the end of a 10-year negotiation process. Guyana will thereupon join a selected group of African, American and Asian countries committed to the protection of their forests. Guyana will become the first VPA country in the Amazon region, and the second in the Americas, after Honduras; making it a frontrunner in sustainable forest management, adhering to the highest international standards.
The Honorable Minister of Natural Resources, Mr. Vickram Bharat, stated that “the Pre-JMRC meetings continue to highlight Guyana’s continued commitment to the VPA process and the broader initiatives to improve forest governance. He further stated that the VPA and the agreements reached are all part of the Government’s commitment under the Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 aimed at promoting a green economy”.
The Parties agreed to focus their efforts on the further development and implementation of strengthened operational procedures for the sector, and a robust paper-based and digital traceability system of logs and timber that meets the VPA’s requirements. To ensure these priorities will be met in time, Guyana and the EU agreed on a detailed work plan.
The Parties also discussed how they will continue to engage with national and international stakeholders interested in VPA implementation. They committed to putting in place a range of tools to ensure that interested audiences can follow the developments and impacts of VPA implementation.
Representatives of the private sector and civil society, including indigenous peoples’ organisations, presented the issues they would like to bring to the table. Guyana and the EU also discussed next steps in the development of an approach to protect the traditional rights of Amerindian peoples.
Through the VPA’s implementation, Guyana will further strengthen the sustainable use of its forest resources, reduce illegal timber trade and better modernise timber operations, thereby ensuring that forestry brings green jobs in the formal economy. The VPA also includes commitments to improve transparency, accountability, legislative clarity and other aspects of governance.
Good governance of Guyana’s forests is crucial to sustainable development. Moreover, it helps both Guyana and the EU contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including by mitigating climate change and protecting biodiversity.
The next meeting of the Joint Monitoring and Review Committee is scheduled to take place in May 2023.
On 19 October 2022, the European Union (EU) and the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire concluded negotiations for a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT). The Agreement will help improve forest governance, fight against illegal logging and support Côte d’Ivoire’s efforts to improve the management of its natural resources.
The conclusion of the negotiations celebrated on 19 October materialises with the initialling, an administrative procedure that confirms that both parties adhere to the content of the Agreement. The next step for Côte d’Ivoire and the EU will be to sign and then ratify the VPA, thus making its commitments legally binding.
Initiated in 2013, the VPA negotiations have been very participatory, including representatives of civil society organisations, the private sector, Ivorian ministries and government agencies, and traditional chiefs.
So far, these negotiations have helped Côte d’Ivoire to implement important legal and policy reforms in the forest sector. This includes recognising the property rights of farmers and landowners, and strengthening requirements for forest planning, management and traceability. The VPA also contributes to a better integration of women in forest resources management.
With the signature in sight, the emphasis will shift to implementing the Agreement. The VPA will put in place a traceability system to ensure that all timber traded on the Ivorian domestic market, as well as international markets, is legal. This includes trade with the EU, but also regional timber trade.
Besides forest governance and timber legality, the VPA will also contribute to better forest management, transparency and accountability in the sector. This will help in the fight against climate change and increase the Ivorian state’s revenue from a more competitive forestry industry.
On 12 September 2022, the first meeting of the Joint Implementation Committee (CCA by its Spanish acronym) was held in Tegucigalpa, Honduras to start overseeing the implementation of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade (FLEGT).
During the meeting the EU and Honduras signed the first act of the Aide Memoire of the CCA. This marked the official start of the implementation of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement.
The CCA also agreed to prioritise actions that will yield concrete results in the short term. This includes the development and implementation of a robust traceability system for the transport of timber. With the help of technology it will be possible to address the falsification of transport documents. The CCA also agreed to accelerate the development and implementation of simplified procedures for the approval of forest management plans and the harvest of forest products.
The proceedings of the meeting are available publicly in the Aide Memoire (in Spanish).
The CCA oversees the VPA and is co-chaired by the National Institute for Forest Conservation and Development, Protected Areas and Wildlife and the European Union. The CCA includes the participation of various Government ministries and institutions, the private sector, including small forest owners, civil society organizations, indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples, and donor partners that support the implementation of the agreement.
The objective of the VPA is to provide a legally binding framework to ensure that all EU imports of timber products from Honduras covered by this agreement are sourced legally. The VPA also aims at improving community forest livelihoods, mitigating climate change impacts, and recognising the right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent.
In the negotiation phase, different groups of interest were consulted, including the representatives of the government, civil society, the private sector, indigenous peoples and afro-descendant peoples. The Honduras voluntary partnership agreement is the first-ever in which indigenous peoples have had their say, looking into issues such as land tenure and rights.
Honduras will now start the implementation of the VPA, where the full and active involvement of all stakeholders will continue through the Joint Implementation Committee (JIC), the body overseeing the VPA. One of the first steps is setting up a timber legality assurance system to assess that timber products have been legally produced at all stages of the supply chain in accordance with national legislation.
European Forest Institute
European Forest Institute
Sebastiaan de Smedt, European Forest Institute
VPA Africa-Latin America Facility