EU/Indonesia Voluntary Partnership Agreement: forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the EU

The Committee on International Trade unanimously adopted the report by Yannick JADOT (Greens/EFA, FR) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Indonesia on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union.

Members recalled that under this Voluntary Partnership Agreement, timber and Indonesian timber products benefit from a FLEGT license and could enter the European market, since the two parties agreed on the conditions for implementation of the Indonesian system verification known to SGLB (Sistem Verifikasi Legalitas Kayu or SVLK).

Given that this system is now almost operational, Members called on the European Parliament to give its consent to the conclusion of the agreement and asked the Commission to ensure that SGLB shortcomings are eliminated before issuing any FLEGT licence to Indonesian timber products.