Making Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) work for forests, people and the climate: Civil society recommendations on the future of VPAs

By highlighting the decade of successes already achieved during the negotiation and implementation of Voluntary Partnership Agreements to end illegal logging, civil society from timber producing countries explain where EU policy should go next.

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.

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.

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.

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.

From negotiation to implementation: VPA countries share lessons with Guyana

Guyana needs to ensure that the transition from negotiating to implementing its Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the EU is highly participatory and receives adequate technical, financial and political support.

Revision of Guyana’s National Forestry Policy Statement and National Forest Plan

The Guyana Forestry Commission is seeking to engage a consultancy firm to revise the country's National Forest Policy Statement and the National Forest Plan.

The wait is over. FLEGT licences are coming

Indonesia and the European Union today agreed that from 15 November 2016 Indonesia can issue ‘FLEGT’ licences to verified legal timber products it exports to the EU.

Ghana transformed and on target for licensing

Ghana’s confidence in its FLEGT VPA process is underlined by its eagerness to open it to scrutiny. Mike Jeffree reports

Cross border cooperation

The impetus for Competent Authorities (CAs) to strengthen EUTR enforcement through collaboration is increasing