After the FLEGT negotiation between Thailand and EU on June 2017, it has established the clear work plan, which endorses by both sides. The document names “VPA Roadmap” that focusing on clear implementation since the first to the next negotiation. What is inside VPA Roadmap?

NO.9 SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2017

TEFSO Newsletter

Thai-EU FLEGT Secretariat Office

The FLEGT

What is VPA Roadmap?

Date	Action/element
17 July 2017	Thai side to exchange import/export data and revised product scope to EU
19 July 2017	ADHoc WG on LD meeting on preparation Field test
24 July 2017	Start of field work on LD testing (until 22/09/2017)
5 August 2017	EU sends template text of the VPA to Thai side
14 Sep 2017	AHWG meeting to discuss overall strategy to address options on unregulated species on private land and verification of legality of timber imports (with EFI participation and Ministry of Commerce)
11 September 2017	Start of EFI Technical Mission to TH in order to accompany final part of LD field test and to support further development of LD including verification mechanisms
17 October 2017	AHWG meeting to discuss initial results of LD field test and next steps (involves EFI), and to give feedback to the field test consultants
End November 2017	Reflections on draft LD field test report by Thai side shared with EU
Postpone	VC at technical level (JEM level) on results of LD field test and proposed next steps by the Thai side, and any other relevant topics
November 2017	Thai side develops 1st draft structure of TLAS and Supply Chain Control Annex and forwards to EU in preparation of JEM3
January 2018	Start of EFI Technical Mission to TH to further design TLAS and jointly work on other matters identified in JEM3
January 2018	Advanced version of revised draft LD Annex shared with the EU
February 2018	Third Joint Expert Meeting (JEM3) in Bangkok, focusing on LD, product scope (including furniture) and TLAS (including verification mechanisms, supply chain controls)
January/February 2018	Draft TLAS Annex available and other relevant documents as identified in JEM3 shared with the EU
14 February 2018	Stock taking VC on technical level to respond to document received from the EU side and prepare for JEM4 and Nego2
20 – 23 March 2018	Forth Joint Expert Meeting (JEM4) and second negotiation meeting in Bangkok, focusing on LD, TLAS, product scope, other VPA Annexes and draft VPA text

TEFSO has arranged relevant meetings to ensure the implementation is following the roadmap. It will be seen there has increased the discussion with the EU which will move the procedure more fast and clearer.

FLEGT Discovery

Ghana visits Indonesia to learn FLEGT licensing lessonsWith Ghana moving towards full implementation of its Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the EU on illegal logging, during 6-11 August representatives of its forest sector stakeholders have visited Indonesia to learn about its experiences of reaching that goal.

In the meeting with civil society representatives, the discussion focused on Indonesian experiences of independent forest monitoring. The representatives explained the importance of sustainable funding for civil society to be able to conduct their role as independent monitors in the long term. Indonesia has set up a trust fund for independent monitoring to address this. The team also visited to a factory that processes timber into doors. They learned about the company’s chain of custody system, which uses barcoding to track each piece of wood. They also saw a live, real-time demonstration of the company requesting a FLEGT licence, having the request processed by the licensing authority, and being issued with the licence.

Ghana and Indonesia agreed to urge the EU to do more to meet its VPA commitment to promote FLEGT-licensed timber products in the EU market by raising consumer awareness and having public procurement policies in EU member states recognise FLEGT-licensed products. The two countries also discussed a goal of working together to promote FLEGT-licensed timber on international markets after Ghana begins issuing licences.

Source :http://www.flegt.org/news/content/viewItem/ghana-visits-indonesia-to-learn-flegt-licensing-lessons/02-10-2017/140

The Guest

Technical meeting with EFI

During 18 – 19 October 2017, The Royal Forest Department Officers, Mr.James Sandom and Ms.Pawinee Udommai, the LD field test consultants, Mr.Alexander Hinrichs, Mr.Thomas de Francqueville and Ms. Somrudee Nicrowattanayingyong, the European Forest Institute (EFI) worked together with TEFSO to describe and clarify what shall be described for the control of the supply chain for unregistered species and identify the next steps for the development of the TLAS annex. The output from the discussion will be conferred with multistakeholders to develop of Thai VPA process.

FLEGT Tips

Supply Chain Controls

-The supply chain control system routinely ensures the integrity of timber product flows from the forest or the point of import to the point of sale or export by using tractability or tracking methods. Information Management and data reconciliation are key.

-Prevents unverified (possibly illegal) timber products from entering the supply chain.

-To consider: complexity, data management,control of transit timber, confiscated timber, appropriate controls for small-holders/small-scale processors

The Corner…

RECOFTC collaborating with Mae Tha Subdistrict Administration Organization, Chiang Mai Province, arranged “the workshop on developing legality timber management system in the smallholder pilot project site of Mae Tha Sustainable Agriculture and Resource Development Institute”
On September 27^th 2017 RECOFTC collaborating with Mae Tha Subdistrict Administration Organization, Chiang Mai Province, arranged “the workshop on developing legality timber management system in the smallholder pilot project site of Mae Tha Sustainable Agriculture and Resource Development Institute” at Tarin Hotel Chiang Mai. The workshop aims to enhance the logging practice in the site and to propose as a future legal timber management guideline of Thailand in the site that the government gave people right to manage land themselves. Attendees included representative from RFD, TEFSO, KUFF, Faculty of Law, CMU, Sustainable Development Foundation, and FSC had shared experience and commended on logging mechanism to community.RECOFTC arranged “the forum on the right on forest land and legality timber assurance system”
On October 3^rd 2017 RECOFTC arranged “the forum on the right on forest land and legality timber assurance system” at RECOFTC building. 2 Researches were presented at the forum; 1. The study of right and smallholder forest land tenure status in national reserved forest; 2. Case study project on reflecting accession and restriction of legal logging in order to build understanding on the linkage between those right and legality timber assurance system, and organization related to risk analysis and ab impact of land tenure status to the assurance system and related agencies. Representatives from RFD, private sector, CSOs, and smallholders joined the event. The outcome of the forum will be brought to the Ad-Hoc working group on FLEGT VPA to developing LD and TLAS.

RECOFTC collaborating with Mueng Ling Family Forest Network, Surin Province, arranged the forum “Lesson learn on logging situation and proposal providing on logging process in site level of developing pilot site on the legality logging of smallholders on private land
On October 12^th 2017 RECOFTC collaborating with Mueng Ling Family Forest Network, Surin Province, arranged the forum “Lesson learn on logging situation and proposal providing on logging process in site level of developing pilot site on the legality logging of smallholders on private land. The project objective is to present legality logging process at Mueng Ling Family Forest community enterprise Thumbol Chomphra, Surin Province, to build understanding on logging following Forest Plantation Act., and to strengthen the logging system economically to increase household income. The outcomes and recommendations from the forum will be acknowledged by provincial governor of Surin.

Source : https://www.recoftc.org/project/flegt-thailand

Thai-EU FLEGT Secretariat Office (TEFSO)
Kasetsart University Alumni Association Under Royal Patronage 50 Phaholyothin Road, Ladyao, Chatuchak District , Bangkok THAILAND 10900
Tel. 02-561-5102, 02-561-5103 Fax. 02-940-5676
Website: www.tefso.org Facebook: TEFSO

Article

(ENG) TEFSO E-NEWSLETTER NO.9 (SEP-OCT’17)

TEFSO Newsletter

Article

(ENG) TEFSO E-NEWSLETTER NO.9 (SEP-OCT’17)

TEFSO Newsletter

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