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EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance & Trade

In 2003 EU’s Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Action Plan (FLEGT) was approved. This was based on the view that illegal logging is both a producer and consumer concern, recognising that the problem is both supply and demand driven, which therefore requires a number of solutions applied throughout the supply chain of wood based products. The EU recognise and advocate that forests play a key role in addressing poor governance and mitigating climate change. Therefore the Action Plan includes a wide range of initiatives; support to timber producing countries, encouraging public procurement, private sector initiatives, financing and investment and legislative instruments.

European Additional Legislative Options

The Action Plan included a review of the options for passing a more stringent legislation in the future, which has now led to the recent publishing of an EU proposed regulation on due diligence (Oct 08). This proposed regulation is now undergoing formal consultation. If adopted it will require all importers (and home producers) who first place timber products on the market to undergo an environmental risk assessment (due diligence).

Member State Public Procurement Policies

These centre primarily on the development of public timber procurement policies, which aim to ensure that only legal (and sustainable) timber products are bought.  With the public sector accounting for approximately 20% of purchases in most developed countries, Denmark, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium and the UK, have developed central government timber procurement policies. The Japanese Government has also developed a timber procurement policy along similar lines to those developed in Europe. Other governments such as Spain, are now considering their options and are actively considering implementing a national procurement policy. As from April 1^st 2009, the UK Government Procurement Policy now demands that timber is either certified or FLEGT Licensed.

Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPA's)

The FLEGT Action Plan proposes the development of Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) between the EU and individual timber-producing countries.  A key component of the VPAs will be the use of legality licenses which will be applied to all exports as proof of legality.  Under a VPA no export from the partner country to the EU will be permitted unless it is accompanied by a legality licence.  The VPA will include a package of assistance, including technical assistance and institutional and policy support. Formal negotiations for a VPA opened up in February 2008 and are on-going between the EU and producer countries; to date Ghana and Congo Brazzaville have signed and others are in negotiation including Malaysia, Indonesia and Cameroon. 

Funding Private Sector Initiatives

The EU fund a number of private sector initiatives such as WWF's GFTN. One of the largest programmes funded to date is the TTF's Timber Trade Action Plan (TTAP). This offers members of several EU Timber Trade Federations access to EU funds for their suppliers to support their work towards verified legal timber products.  Managed by the Tropical Forest Trust (TFT) the TTAP funds contribute 72% of the total costs to support a mill in verifying its supply chain.