Mist clears on China in African forests

Mists of uncertainty and misunderstanding have shrouded China's role in African forests in recent years. These are beginning to clear and, thanks to initiatives such as the China-Africa Forest Governance Learning Platform, the prospects for true China-Africa forest partnerships look more promising than ever.

VPAs and SMEs in Mekong countries – new website and discussion group

The EU FLEGT Facility has launched a web page and online forum focused on small and informal forest products enterprises in the context of Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) in the Mekong region.

Here at last. EU importers welcome first FLEGT-licensed timber

It’s not often that some planks of wood make history. But the Indonesian plywood and other products that arrived in Europe in recent weeks deserve that accolade.

How the EU can protect the world’s forest by tackling corruption

Amid the political turbulence that kicked off in Europe in 2016, an important event from last year risks being forgotten, the unprecedented global commitment to tackle corruption.

Civil society keen to take part in ASEAN’s new FLEG plan

As the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its member states implement a new ten-year plan to improve forest governance, civil society organisations (CSOs) in region are keen to get involved.

To avoid the "conflict trap", Myanmar should protect its forests

Transitions from war are tough. When grievances smolder and economies fail to recover, most countries fall into a “conflict trap” and war resumes. To escape the trap, post-conflict governments often exploit forests, minerals, and other natural resources to jump-start war-torn economies.

Southeast Asia marks progress in combating illegal timber trade

Representatives from eight member states of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) shared their achievements in developing reliable timber legality assurance systems at a workshop in Jakarta, Indonesia from 6-8 December 2016.

Global corruption in forestry sector worth USD 29 billion a year

An INTERPOL report released on International Anti-Corruption Day underlines the scale of criminal activity tied to the forestry sector and the importance of coordinating anti-corruption efforts to protect forests.

Honduras y la UE ponen a prueba un acuerdo emblemático sobre el comercio de madera

Honduras ha avanzado un paso más hacia la conclusión de un Acuerdo Voluntario de Asociación (AVA) con la Unión Europea tras completar un hito clave del proceso de negociación del Acuerdo. Conocida como prueba de campo, esta fase ha servido para evaluar el progreso logrado y brindar recomendaciones para una exitosa conclusión del Acuerdo.

Honduras and the EU test landmark forest agreement on the ground

Honduras has moved a step closer towards concluding a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the European Union (EU) after completing a significant milestone in the negotiation process. Known as field testing, this phase enables stakeholders to evaluate progress and make recommendations for the successful completion of the Agreement.