The third Technical Working Group for the negotiation of FLEGT VPA between Indonesia and the European Union was held in Jakarta on March 1-2, 2010.
Indonesia and the EU have previously convened two Senior Officials meetings and two Technical Working Groups on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Voluntary Partnership Agreement (FLEGT VPA) since the Joint Statement made by the Indonesian Minister of Forestry and the European Commissioners responsible for Development and the Environment in January 2007.
The Indonesian delegation, represented by multi-stakeholders including NGOs and forestry association, was chaired by the Head of the Centre of International Cooperation, Dr. Agus Sarsito. While the EU Delegation was led by Dr. Hugo Maria Schally, Head of Multilateral Environmental Affairs and Trade Unit of the Directorate General for Environment, European Commission.
During the meeting, the Indonesian Delegation conveyed progress of the Indonesian legality assurance system as stipulated on the Minister of Forestry decree No. P.38/Menhut-II/2009 concerning standard for sustainable forest management and timber legality, for which standards and guidelines are stipulated in the Director General of Production Forest Management’s Decree No. P.6/VI-Set/2009. Further details on guidelines for SVLK implementation is contained in Director General of Production Forest Management’s Decree P.02/VI-BPPHH/2010.
Meanwhile, European Delegation conveyed the progress on a proposed new legislation “Due Diligence Regulation” that is expected to be approved as EU legislation at the end of 2010, which will require EU timber importers to take measures to minimize the risk of illegal timber being traded in the EU market. The draft regulation foresees that timber imported from countries that have concluded a VPA will be considered as legal. This would give a significant advantage to timber products from VPA partner countries.
The meeting was successful in clarifying important issues and both sides agreed on a number of concrete steps for further work in finalising the SVLK and its linkage to a future FLEGT VPA. Indonesia and the EU agreed to intensity their cooperation in developing the legal text of a VPA and both sides re-emphasised their commitment to an early successful conclusion of negotiations.
Next Technical Working Group (TWG) meeting has been scheduled by both Parties to be undertaken in Brussels during the 1st or 2nd week of June 2010.
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