Apr 10, 2013

EFI has produced a brief document about how the EU Timber Regulation and Voluntary Partnership Agreements work together to combat illegal logging and improve forest governance, as well as a list of sources of information on the EU Timber Regulation.

Both are available on the EU FLEGT Facility website in English and French.

 

The EU Timber Regulation helps to reduce illegal logging by ensuring that no illegal timber or timber products can be sold in the European Union. It came into force on 3 March 2013, and prohibits operators in Europe from placing illegally harvested timber and products derived from illegal timber on the EU market.

 

Voluntary Partnership Agreements are treaties with timber producing countries that export timber and timber products to the EU. A country that has a Voluntary Partnership Agreement and an operational licensing system can issue FLEGT licences for legally produced timber and timber products. All timber and timber products with a FLEGT licence automatically comply with the EU Timber Regulation.

 

Several countries have negotiated a Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the EU, but FLEGT-licensed timber is not yet being exported to European countries. Until FLEGT licenses are available, operators will require evidence of compliance with national legislation. The definition of legal timber set out in each Voluntary Partnership Agreement is a useful reference for checking timber legality.