EU Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement Governance

EU Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Chatham House London, January 2006 EU Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade

The EU FLEGT Action Plan sets out supply- and demandside measures to combat illegal logging and associated trade. F The plan proposes partnership agreements with woodproducing countries that include: ä ä Development co-operation and governance reform Measures to control the trade in illegally-harvested timber F Additional measures proposed include: ä ä ä Green public procurement Private sector initiatives Financing and investment EU Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade

Recent developments Important recent developments include: F Legislative proposals agreed by Member States (Dec 05). F Workshop to plan EU development assistance (Dec 05). F Proposals to the Tropical Forest Budget Line (Nov 05). F Service contract to help developing countries engage in partnership agreements (Nov 05). F Posting staff to key regions (ongoing). F Technical assistance programme in Indonesia (Mar 06). EU Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade

EU legislative process Proposals have been agreed for a timber import licencing scheme and voluntary FLEGT partnership agreements. F UK oversaw conclusion of this work during its 2005 EU presidency. Proposals adopted consist of: ä Timber import licensing scheme: legislation to implement the timber import licensing scheme. ä Partnership agreements: Directives to guide the negotiation of partnership agreements. EU Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade

Building partnerships With legislative proposals now adopted, preparations are being advanced for the next phase of the Action Plan: F Consultations in potential partner countries. F Planning of joint EU (Commission and Member State) development assistance to partnership agreements. F Posting staff to target countries / regions. EU Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade

Partnership consultations A series of informal consultations on FLEGT partnership agreements are taking place in potential partner countries. F Support by lead Member States: Cameroon (DE), Congo, Gabon (FR), Ghana (UK), Indonesia (EC), Malaysia (NL). F Encouraging response from potential partners, but lots of challenges ahead. EU Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade

Development assistance For partnership agreements: Development co-operation will be used to support reforms to governance in producer countries. F Workshop to plan development assistance held in Brussels last year. F Commission and MS have earmarked substantial resources around the FLEGT Action Plan. EC support includes: ä ä ä Indonesia (€ 15 m); ACP region (€ 10 m); Central support contract (€ 2. 5 m). EU Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade

Development assistance Outside partnership agreements: F A series of pilot projects on forest governance themes have been funded (€ 16 m): ä ä Good practice forest governance Independent monitoring / auditing Strengthening local civil society Facilitating trade in legal timber F Further selection of projects in first half of 2006. F Support to regional FLEG processes (East Asia, Africa, Latin America) (€ 3 m). EU Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade

Objectives for 2006 Encouraging progress has been made with the FLEGT Action Plan. Important work must now take place to make it fully operational: F Negotiate FLEGT partnership agreements: ä ä Preparing for negotiations Conducting negotiations F Plan development assistance to support partnership agreements: ä ä Programming of resources Scheduling and coordinating support to partnership agreements EU Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade

Thank you For further information see: http: //europa. eu. int/comm/development/body/theme/forest/initiative/index_en. htm EU Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade