Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2016-10-03-Speech-1-160-000"
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"en.20161003.17.1-160-000"2
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"Mr President, I am speaking on behalf of Bernd Lange, who cannot be here this evening. Illegal logging and trade in illegal timber has a devastating impact on the world’s forests, threatening the survival of various wildlife species and contributing to climate change. Regrettably, we have not managed to reverse global deforestation, even though illegal timber imports to the EU have declined. This signals the urgent need to step up our efforts. The Committee on International Trade is a lead committee for FLEGT, the voluntary partnership agreements that are signed under the FLEGT Regulation between the EU and timber-producing countries, and that should address the supply side of the problem.
I note with satisfaction that Indonesia will be the first country to start issuing FLEGT licenses this autumn, and the whole process has contributed to strengthened forest governance through an inclusive multi-stakeholder approach. Today, over 90% of Indonesia’s timber exports are from independently—audited factories and forests, compared to just 20% in 2002. It is an important milestone, especially as one third by value of the EU’s tropical timber imports come from Indonesia.
I would like to hear from the Commission how they are going to step up and accelerate the process in other Voluntary Partnership Agreement countries (VPAs). Could the Commission indicate which VPA countries, in addition to Indonesia, are closest to signing FLEGT licenses, and – as we have just heard, this is especially relevant in light of the Court of Auditors recommendation – notably that resources should be allocated to where they are likely to have the greatest impact in tackling illegal logging and related trade? In cases where implementation of the VPA requirements appears less feasible, would the Commission agree to propose measures supporting forest governance without necessarily signing a VPA?"@en1
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