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

PURPOSE: to conclude the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act. 

BACKGROUND: on 21 May 2003, the Commission adopted a Communication to the Council and the European Parliament entitled "Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) - Proposal for an EU Action Plan".

The FLEGT action plan called for measures to combat illegal logging through the development of voluntary partnership agreements with timber-producing countries. The Council adopted its conclusions on the FLEGT Action Plan on 13 October 2003 and the European Parliament adopted its resolution on this issue on 11 July 2005.

The Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union has been signed subject to its conclusion at a later date. The agreement should be approved.

CONTENT: the purpose of the draft Council is to approve, on behalf of the Union, the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union.