Indonesia and EU celebrate launch of FLEGT licensing

High-level representatives of the EU and Indonesia have celebrated the launch of Indonesia’s FLEGT licensing scheme in a ceremony in Jakarta on 24 November 2016.

Ghana advances towards FLEGT licensing

Ghana is making good progress in implementing its Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the EU ahead of FLEGT licensing, according to the joint body that oversees implementation of the agreement.

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.

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.

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.

Strengthening China-Africa ties for improved forest governance

Over 100 government, private sector and civil society representatives from China and African timber-exporting countries gathered in Beijing for the 3rd China-Africa Forest Governance Learning Platform.

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.

EIA report investigates Burmese teak entering EU market

The Environmental Investigation Agency has published a briefing on how teak exports from Myanmar/Burma to the European Union are in breach of the EU Timber Regulation. The briefing details the results of an EIA investigation into Burmese teak entering the EU market.