Liberia and EU review VPA progress and challenges

The Joint Implementation Committee (JIC) overseeing the EU-Liberia Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade has met this week in Monrovia to review progress and challenges in implementing the agreement.

Un sistema de trazabilidad para luchar contra la madera ilegal en Panamá

Considerada el gran pulmón de Panamá, la selva del Darién es una importante fuente de recursos para las comunidades de esta región. Sin embargo, en 2010 las estimaciones apuntaban a que el 67% de la madera extraída de este tupido bosque tropical de 20 000 km2 se obtenía de manera ilegal y sin ningún tipo de control. Para solucionar este problema, a inicios de 2018 el Ministerio de Ambiente puso en marcha un sistema de trazabilidad de la madera.

How timber trade deal talks with EU improved governance in Guyana

The process of negotiating a timber-trade deal with the EU has improved forest governance in Guyana, and more gains are expected as implementation gets underway.

Congo, EU guide their 2019 work on forest governance

The Republic of the Congo and the European Union (EU) have taken stock of the implementation of their Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) aimed at promoting good forest governance. Both parties have also agreed on their work for 2019. The VPA is part of the EU initiative on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT).

VPA supports increased law enforcement against illegal logging in Indonesia

Indonesia has been stepping up action against illegal logging and other forest crimes, with an increase in law enforcement operations and hundreds of court cases in the past three years. However, improving monitoring and law enforcement remains a challenging task.

High hopes for Guyana-EU partnership on legal timber trade

On a cool grey day in Belgium last month, a group of visitors from Guyana gathered at Antwerp port and imagined a future in which their country’s timber products flow freely into the EU, bypassing red tape because every item has been verified to be legal.

VPA-linked reforms bring legal clarity to Guyana’s forest sector

It’s hard to follow the law when the law doesn’t follow itself, and this has long been a challenge for the timber sector in Guyana. Inconsistencies in the legal framework there have made it difficult for businesses involved in harvesting and processing wood from Guyana’s forests to follow the law. It has also made it difficult for authorities to enforce it. But that all changed this year, when Guyana enacted much-needed reforms.

Two assessments inform progress on EU-Lao PDR VPA negotiation

Two reports contribute to an undertaking by the European Union (EU) and the Lao Peoples’ Democratic Republic (PDR) to initiate joint assessments to provide a baseline for, and inform progress of, their process to negotiate a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on forest law enforcement, governance and trade (FLEGT).

Women leading the charge towards legality in Indonesia’s furniture capital

Maria Murliantini is a trailblazer. The factory she owns in Indonesia’s furniture-making capital Jepara was one of the first to export only products made from verified legal teak to buyers in the EU.

EU and Guyana initial Voluntary Partnership Agreement to combat illegal logging and promote trade in legal timber

The EU and Guyana have concluded negotiations on a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT). The agreement will help improve forest governance, address illegal logging and promote trade in verified legal timber products.