Guyana continues consultations for Voluntary Partnership Agreements

Sep 01, 2011 News

– If considered, allows greater access to EU timber market

In order for Guyana’s timber products to gain greater access to the European market, Government and the private sector have to ensure only legal timber is exported.
As such, Guyana is considering entering Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) with the European Union (EU). The VPAs essentially act as vehicles to Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLGET).
Currently, key stakeholders in the forest sector including the Guyana Forestry Commission, Forest Products Association (FPA), National Toshaos Council and representatives of the Surinamese Forest Sector are engaging in consultations to develop a suitable definition of legality within Guyana’s context. The consultations are also being done to ensure Guyana’s compliance with some set standards of the FLGET-VPAs.
The Voluntary Partnership Agreements are bilateral agreements between the European Union (EU) and tropical wood-exporting countries, which aim to improve forest governance and guarantee that the wood imported into the EU is from legal sources.
The second round of consultation was held yesterday at the Grand Coastal Hotel at Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara.
According to the Norbert Probst, Head of Section, Politics, Trade, Press and Information, the EU is very active, driven by strong consumer and hence business interests, to ensure that its consumption of timber products is not contributing to trade in illegal timber and deforestation.
Probst noted that Member States have introduced procurement policies and businesses have established systems to better know their supply chain. The EU promotes trade in legal timber through FLEGT-VPAs with Third World countries
He added that in October 2009, it adopted the “Due Diligence” which prohibits the sale of illegally harvested timber in the EU and obliges operators to exercise due diligence to minimize the risk of illegal timber in their supply chain.
This FPA project is funded by the EU under its ACP-FLEGT Support Programme and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which makes reference to this requirement. He emphasized that the forestry sector has made considerable progress in relation to the programme.
Probst stated that to date the project results show that the draft Legality Checklist is completed and the assessment of companies’ compliance with industry standards is advancing well.
According to the FAO Country Representative, Dr. Lystra Fletcher-Paul, in Guyana, with its large forest resource base of 18.6 million hectares, 60% of which has been allocated by the State for timber harvesting concessions; the exportation of forest products plays an important role in the country’s economy, both in terms of revenue and livelihoods.
She added that of the five categories of timber which Guyana exports, the most significant is plywood, which accounts for approximately 50% of total export value, with sales mainly destined for the USA and European markets.
It was noted that sawn timber and logs make up the remaining share value of exports, with Latin America and the Caribbean along with Western Europe, being the major markets for sawn timber and Asia, particularly China and India, for logs.
“Since Europe is one of the principal markets for wood products for Guyana, it is beneficial to promote the export of timber to Europe. To avoid unfair competition it is important for the producer as well as the consumer that only legal timber is being traded. It is in the interest of all parties that illegally harvested timber disappears from the market,” Dr. Fletcher-Paul stated.
She emphasized that legally harvested timber should have a fair and fast access to European markets. The purpose of this project on “Building capacity within the Guyanese forestry sector to meet FLEGT Due Diligence requirements” is to promote this access.
This project, which is being implemented through a Letter of Agreement of US$102,400 between FAO and the FPA, under the ACP-FLEGT Support Programme, is part of the FAO’s ongoing efforts to support the Government of Guyana to build capacity within the forest sector to meet FLEGT Due Diligence requirements.
It was pointed out that five companies have begun to test the legality systems and at least two companies have had gap assessment and facilitation visits.

Latest News

Guyana continues consultations for Voluntary Partnership Agreements

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Team Guyana ready to take on Haiti and Cayman Islands FIBA 3×3...

Timehri Hustlers dispatch Tiger Bay as Gold is...

Windies Masters announce squad for Americas Cup

Stormy Victory, Morning Colors stepping up for...

Region 7 Edition of CNOOC Petroleum Guyana...

Vergenoegen Secondary sweeps Region Three...

Features/Columnists

Raises and Recognition

High-Stakes Bid for OAS Secretary General post

Laws and boards

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Guyana continues consultations for Voluntary Partnership Agreements

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]