Members of the European Parliament praise the VPA process in Honduras

When Members of the European Parliament visited Honduras in September 2017, they were impressed with the unity of purpose with which diverse stakeholders are working together to address illegal logging, through the Voluntary Partnership Agreement or VPA Honduras is negotiating with the EU.

Lessons and inspiration from Indonesia’s FLEGT experience

Indonesia was not the only one to celebrate its FLEGT licensing launch last year. Other tropical timber exporters engaged in the FLEGT VPA process en route to licensing welcomed the news too. They see Indonesia’s success not just as inspirational, but providing lessons from which they can learn. Mike Jeffree reports

Ghana visits Indonesia to learn FLEGT licensing lessons

With Ghana moving towards full implementation of its Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the EU on illegal logging, representatives of its forest sector stakeholders have visited Indonesia to learn about its experiences of reaching that goal.

Ghana champions rights and fair compensation for forest communities

Ghana’s work to promote the legal timber trade, in partnership with the European Union (EU), strongly emphasizes involving local communities who live in or near forests.

EUTR News – June to August 2017

This issue of the EUTR News provides an update on the operation of the EU’s law to address illegal logging, the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), from June to August 2017.

Analysis of gender impacts of the Ghana VPA with European Union

Fern commissioned this study of gender issues in Ghana’s FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement as a tentative first step to looking at gender issues which have to date received only scant attention.

Lessons learned from independent forest monitoring in Africa

The nongovernmental organisation Fern and its partners in four African countries have reported how independent forest monitoring has had positive effects on forest governance. In a new brief, they share stories of impact and lessons they have learned.

World’s largest set of forest-related risk assessments online

NEPCon has published the biggest and most detailed set of risk assessments for timber, palm oil, soy and beef. Among other things, the Sourcing Hub is intended to help companies meet the due diligence requirements of market regulation such as the EU Timber Regulation. It includes assessments of the risks of illegal timber production and trade in 62 countries, covering 87% of global timber production.

Briefing note on the implementation of the EU Timber Regulations, June 2017 - July 2017

Briefing note compiled by UNEP-WCMC as a consultant of the European Commission in close cooperation with the Member States Competent Authorities.

Independent forest monitoring evolves, aided by VPAs

FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreements are aiding an evolution in the implementation and impacts of independent forest monitoring in West and Central Africa, according to a new brief by the consultancy Palladium International. The report is based on inputs from 19 civil society organisations and individuals, and it covers eight countries in West and Central Africa.