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.

Cameroon suspends 23 companies for logging infractions

Cameroon has suspended the logging rights of 23 operators for failing to comply with the legal and regulatory framework.

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.

Liberia and EU recognise progress and agree to strengthen VPA implementation

The fourth meeting of the Joint Implementation Committee (JIC), which oversees implementation of the FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) between Liberia and the EU, took place in Monrovia on 21-23 September 2016.

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.

Staying up to speed on FLEGT online

A new website has been launched to help EU timber buyers and their suppliers navigate FLEGT licensing.