EU Gives Indonesia Flegt Recognition For Timber Exports

Denpasar (Antara Bali) - The European Union has given Indonesia Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) recognition for timber exports.

Director General of Conservation Production Forest (PHPL) Dr. Putera Parthama in a ceremony socializing FLEGT here on Thursday said with the recognition, the European Commission decided that Indonesia has met all the condition set in the EU trade regulation, and Voluntary Partnership Agreement signed by Indonesia and the EU in 2012.

"Indonesia, therefore, is the first country in the world, obtaining the FLEGT license for exports of timber products to the EU, far ahead of its rivals in Africa (which also hold the VPA with the EU), Latin American countries, ASEAN countries (Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos) and China," Dr. Putera said.

He said with the FLEGT license, Indonesian exports of timber products already covered with the certificate of Timber Verification Legality System (SVLK) will no longer need complete test in line with the EU Trade Law.

"This shows that SVLK has been recognized by the 28 countries grouped in the EU as a system to guarantee that the Indonesian timber products are not the product of illegal logging," he said.

He said Indonesia and the EU would act on the decision on Indonesia`s FLEGT license with a a meeting of Joint Implementation Committee on 15 September 2016 to determine the date for the FLEGT license to be effective.

He said the FLEGT license is expected to be effective immediately after the meeting on 15 November 2016 after all competent authorities from all EU member countries are ready to accept exports of timber products from Indonesia.

He said maiden shipment of timber products with FLEGT license would be celebrated in Indonesia and in Europe to mark the "historical momentum".

He said at least two destination cities in the EU - Brussels and London - would celebrate the arrival of timber products imported from Indonesia .

"We hope this momentum could serve as the milestone for the revival of the country`s timber industry as other countries would follow Europe in accepting timber products from Indonesia," he said.

Head of the sub-directorate of Information of Timber Legality Verification Mariana Lubis said the Indonesian success in securing the licenses is a result of hard work of the government in and the private sector in seeking to convince the EU since 2003. (WDY)