Brussels, 10/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - Liberia and the European Union are resolved to work together to combat deforestation. From the beginning of 2014, all shipments of wood products to the European Union from Liberia will be required to carry a license certifying their legal origin. A voluntary partnership agreement (VPA), known as FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Government and Trade Agreement), was signed with that in mind on Monday 9 May in Monrovia, by Florence Chenoweth, Minister for Agriculture and Forests of Liberia, and Luis Riera, Director at the Commission. The signing ceremony was attended by the president of Liberia, Sirleaf Johnson.
Under the VPA, Liberia, which contains over half of the remaining rainforest in West Africa, undertakes to continue the work it has already begun to enhance good governance in the forestry sector and ensure legislation is correctly applied. “This commitment will contribute to sustainable development and poverty alleviation in Liberia on the one hand, and will benefit the European consumers because they can be sure that Liberian wood is legal”, said Andris Piebalgs, European Development Commissioner. Consumers have the guarantee that all Liberian wood products are of legal origin, including furniture and wood shavings used for biofuels. APV FLEGTs have already been sealed by the EU with the Republic of Congo, Ghana, Cameroon and, very recently, with Indonesia (see EUROPE 10374). Talks are underway with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Gabon and Malaysia. (A.N./transl.jl)