Fern cautiously welcomes the EU and Vietnam Voluntary Partnership Agreement

On 18 November, a significant milestone was reached in the fight to protect Vietnam’s forests. The EU and Vietnam agreed ‘in principle’ on a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), establishing a legal framework promoting legal logging, ensuring that the nation’s forests are managed in line with social and environmental laws and that timber products from Vietnam are verifiably legal.

Indonesia fines company US$1.2 billion fine for illegal logging

An Indonesian pulp company has been hit with a record fine of 16.2 trillion rupiah (US$1.7 billion) for illegal logging.

Vietnam and EU agree in principle on FLEGT VPA

After nearly six years of negotiations, Vietnam and the European Union have agreed in principle on a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) to improve forest governance, address illegal logging and promote trade in verified legal timber products from Vietnam to the EU. Vietnam and the EU expect to ratify the agreement in 2017.

Cameroon suspends 23 companies for logging infractions

Cameroon has suspended the logging rights of 23 operators for failing to comply with the legal and regulatory framework.

COP22: Harnessing the power of data for a deforestation-free economy

An EU side event on global supply-chain transparency showcased an innovative data platform called Trase (Transparency for Sustainable Economies) at COP22 in Marrakech on 9 November.

Swedish Court rules Myanmar timber documentation inadequate for EU importers

Swedish Administrative Courts today confirmed a ruling that a certificate issued by the Myanmar Forest Products Merchants’ Federation (MFPMF) did not provide adequate proof that a shipment of teak imported into Sweden had been legally harvested.

Indonesian FLEGT licensing greeted as anti-illegal timber breakthrough

As of today, November 15, Indonesia becomes the first country to issue licences under the EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) initiative. These will exempt timber and wood products from further due diligence under the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) and European operator importers are expecting to receive their first licensed cargoes before the end of the year.

Indonesia and EU launch FLEGT licensing for legal timber to combat illegal logging

Indonesia and the EU launch are hailing “a major milestone” in the global fight to end illegal logging, with the launch today of Indonesia’s FLEGT licensing scheme for exports to the EU of verified legal timber products.

COP22: Addressing forest governance challenges to tackle deforestation

Finding solutions to underlying land-use governance challenges is essential to reduce deforestation driven by agricultural commodity production - that was the takeaway message from the EU side event on tropical forest governance on Tuesday, 8 November at COP22 in Marrakech.

Identifying opportunities to tackle corruption in REDD+ and FLEGT

Representatives from EU institutions, REDD+ and FLEGT stakeholders and NGOs gathered at the European Parliament on 12 October in Brussels to discuss corruption risks and strategies to stamp out environmental crime in African countries.