The EU has signed the Collaboration Agreement on a Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT-VPA). Source: Indonesian Ministry of Forestry
The Indonesian Minister of Forestry Zulkifli Hasan, the European Commisioner for the Environment Janez Potocnik and the Lithuanian Minister of Environment and the Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2013 Valentinas Mazuronis signed the agreement in Belgium.
The FLEGT-VPA aims to stop the illegal logging activity and ensure that only the legal timber products that can be imported by the EU from Indonesia.
Indonesia is Asia’s first country and also the largest timber exporting country to sign and seal the FLEGT-VPA.
The agreement is the pinnacle of the 6-year intensive and constructive negotiation that involved private, public and government sectors.
The agreement encompasses the timber licencing system exported from Indonesia to the EU’s 28 member countries based on the timber legality verification system (SVLK) – Indonesia’s timber legality assurance – and is the first system that is in line with the principles of FLEGT.
Once the FLEGT-VPA is effective and the FLEGT licence is issued, Indonesian timber products will meet the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) No. 995/2010 that forbids the placement and the distribution of illegal logging in the EU markets.
Additionally, the EU’s timber industry players are not necessary to conduct due dilligence on the FLEGT-licenced timber products.
The Minister of Forestry Zulkifli Hasan said that the Agreement is a groundbreaking, strategic partnership between the producing and consuming countries, particularly between Indonesia and EU in eradicating the illegal logging.
“This Agreement represents that both parties shows no mercy to illegal logging. In addition, this becomes a milestone for the world to promote the timber trade with legal certification assurance,” he said.
“I am very ecstatic that the EU and Indonesia have joined forces to eradicate illegal logging,” said the European Commissioner for the Environment Janez Potocnik.
“This Agreement gives a positive impact to the environment and pioneers a responsible business activity, which in the end of the day, it will make a better assurance for consumers to buy Indonesian timber.”
The Lithuanian Minister of Environment Valentinas Mazuronis said that the EU Presidency welcomes the Agreement because it will mark a milestone in a new relationship phase between Indonesia and the EU.
The Agreement brings Indonesia and EU to the respective ratification process to facilitate the complete execution of the FLEGT-VPA once both parties have approved the FLEGT licencing scheme.
