Brussels, 20/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - In Strasbourg on 19 January, the European Parliament (EP) gave its backing to voluntary partnership agreements (VPAs) signed with Cameroon and Congo Brazzaville (see EUROPE 10230) to ensure that, in future, only timber that has been legally felled and products made from legal timber can be exported to the European market by these two major tropical wood exporting African countries. MEPs expressed reservations and made recommendations on the VPAs which were adopted by the overwhelming majority of 650 votes to eight, with 14 abstentions, to the great joy of rapporteur Yannick Jadot (Greens/EFA, France).
By virtue of these voluntary, so-called FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) agreements, the partners commit themselves to work together to tackle deforestation and for sustainable use of the forest resource for the benefit of the local communities which depend on it. Traceability of the timber will be guaranteed by a certificate which will come with cargoes sent to the EU, attesting that the wood has been legally felled, in line with the legislation in force in the countries of origin. The first FLEGT licenses issued only for timber exported to the EU are expected by 2011 (Congo-Brazzaville) and 2012 (Cameroon).
While giving its full backing to these two VPAs (its assent is required under the Lisbon Treaty) to combat illegal logging, the EP nevertheless noted that the legal trade in timber must not cause sight of the higher aim to be lost: tackling global deforestation. The resolution adopted urges the European Commission to better monitor how the VPAs are applied and to take measures to combat large-scale deterioration of natural forests areas. “How good these agreements are will depend on how they are implemented. That is why I am pleased that MEPs called on the Commission to report regularly on how the agreements are being applied and the impact they are having. The agreements, more than being just ways of tackling the illegal timber trade, can make a real difference in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss. If, in fact, civil society and local communities become and remain fully involved, this could ensure the sustainability of forestry for the benefit of local development and strengthen the democratic process in these regions,” Jadot said. (A.N./transl.rt)