14 December 2017 – Mr. Jareysak Nantawong, acted as the head of negotiation of Thai side, video conferenced with Ms. Helene Perier, the head of negotiation of EU side, at Meeting room no.2, Athenee Tower, 10th Floors, Bangkok. This meeting aims to discuss and update about FLEGT VPA Roadmap.
The key points from the conference are the following:
1. Legality definition (LD)
- Mr. Banjong Wongsrisoontorn, TEFSO Director, informed that the report of Legality Definition Field Test was already submitted to EFI and sub-meeting on Thailand Due Diligence System will be arranged on the 18th of this December.
- Mr. Alexander Hinrichs, EFI declared that the report of Legality Definition Field Test has much notices. Thus, this report will be considered until receiving the final draft report .
2. Unregulated Species Certification on Private Land
- There are 4 channels to certify unregulated species on private land ; 1) self-declaration 2) RFD e-Tree registration 3)Forest Plantation Act. registration and 4) National/International STD.EU commented that this certification encourages stakeholders to have a participation. However, the practical application of this certification and more detail description should be added and discussed at the next Joint Expert Meeting (JEM3).
3. Imported Timber Control
- Thai sub-working group on imported timber control was appointed and will arrange the meeting on the 18th of this December to consult on the risk management. Then, the result of this meeting will be consulted at JEM3.
- EU suggested Thailand add the detail of the support between operators and the control of government officers. In addition, for preparation, EU required the concept note of this control before JEM3.
- Mr. Alexander Hinrichs suggested that the procedure of document verification should be described along with the role of EUTR to any procedures.
4. Product Scope
- From the last negotiation, the head of negotiation said that product scope should be broad including furniture aspect. The description of this aspect was suggested to discuss at JEM3.
5. Revised VPA Roadmap
- Thai informed that the annex draft of Timber Legality Assurance System(TLAS) had to be postponed to May 2018 due to the time limitation.
- The meeting resolved that Thai revise VPA Roadmap and submit to EU by the next week.
- EU recommended discussing the feedback of VPA Main Text at JEM3.
- EFI suggested scheduling of EFI technical mission and expected to consult with the sub-working group on imported timber control and TLAS annex. For the EFI representatives, Mr. Alexander Hinrichs, Mr. Thomas de Francqueville and Ms. Alexandra Chang will join this event.
6. Others
- EU recommended TEFSO draft the proposal and submit to FAO-EU FLEGT Program to ask for a support of Thai adviser who manage any description documents.
- Thai informed that the amendments to the timber law of the national forest policy committee will be updated at JEM3.
- EU suggested describing detail of the connection between FLEGT VPA and related foreign policy at JEM.
