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Wood tracking is live
The introduction of Ghana’s online Wood Tracking System (WTS) has been challenging, but it’s now on course for full roll out, according to George Kuru, managing director of system provider Ata Marie -
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 -
EU country authorities prepare for FLEGT licences
Across the EU, national FLEGT Competent Authorities (CAs) are preparing for arrival of first FLEGT-licensed shipments, which they will register, authenticate and police. Some countries have appointed the same bodies that act as EU Timber Regulation CAs to the FLEGT CA role. Others are taking a different approach -
Cross border cooperation
The impetus for Competent Authorities (CAs) to strengthen EUTR enforcement through collaboration is increasing -
EUTR enforcers claim growing competence
Latest evidence shows EUTR Competent Authorities increasingly strengthening enforcement capacity EU-wide, creating a more effective barrier to illegal wood and helping prepare the ground for successful impact of FLEGT-licensed timber. Mike Jeffree reports -
Certification and FLEGT – complementary potential
FSC Chief Advocacy Officer John Hontelez and PEFC Chief Executive Ben Gunneberg say certification schemes and the FLEGT initiative share goals and can be mutually beneficial -
Communication is key, say ETTF members
ETTF member Federations view FLEGT licensed timber as a potentially major business and reputational benefit for the trade, but say communication will be vital for ‘smooth and credible market uptake' -
Broad EU backing for legality assurance breakthrough
The ETTF Newsletter asked EU importers, end users, specifiers and retailers for views on the arrival of FLEGT licensing. Some questions and qualifications remain, but there’s widespread support for a legality assurance achievement that can be developed and built on -
VPA global horizons grow
FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreements offer due diligence-free access to the EU market to timber from supplier countries which introduce comprehensive legality assurance systems and forest governance reforms. The EU’s VPA partners now span the globe -
Licensing a huge milestone, says Vella
In this exclusive interview with the ETTF Newsletter, EC Environmental Commissioner Karmenu Vella describes the EU FLEGT Action Plan as making a major contribution to improving forest governance and combatting illegal wood worldwide, not least through the support of the EU timber trade. Indonesia's issue of the first ever FLEGT licences, he says, will be a further key moment in this effort.