Drive for legal timber boosts worker safety in Ghana

Across Ghana, workers who cut down trees in forests, move timber from the forest to factories or process wood into finished goods can expect these and other improvements in the coming months. That’s because, as Ghana implements new systems for ensuring the legality of its timber and timber products, a spotlight is shining on worker safety like never before.

Le Congo et l’Union européenne orientent leur travail de 2019 sur la gouvernance forestière

La République du Congo et l’Union européenne (UE) ont fait le suivi de la mise en œuvre de leur Accord de Partenariat Volontaire (APV) visant à promouvoir la bonne gouvernance forestière. Les deux parties ont également orienté leur travail pour l’année 2019. L’APV fait partie de l’initiative de l’UE relative à l'application des réglementations forestières, la gouvernance et les échanges commerciaux (FLEGT selon son sigle en anglais).

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).

Indonesia — forest monitors urge further improvement on timber legality

Indonesian civil society groups that act as independent forest monitors have called for action to further improve the credibility and accountability of the country’s timber legality assurance system (SVLK), which Indonesia developed under its Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the EU.

UNEP-WCMC reports on EUTR implementation

The UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) has published its latest briefing note on the implementation of the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR), which covers the period September to October 2018.

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.