Context
Illegal logging and trade in illegal timber contribute to deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and climate change, making up as much as 30 per cent of global timber trade. To address these global challenges, the European Union (EU) created the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan in 2003 to stop illegal timber trade. One part of this effort are the Voluntary Partner Agreements (VPA), namely trade deals between the EU and timber-exporting countries aiming to ensure that only legally harvested timber is exported. Moreover, wood-producing countries receive support in improving forestry policies.
Viet Nam is Asia’s second-largest timber exporter after China. The Vietnamese furniture industry depends on timber imports from both safe and high-risk regions. Since signing the VPA with the EU in 2018, Viet Nam continues to work on improving its timber legality assurance systems.
Objective
Viet Nam has improved legal, institutional, and operational conditions to achieve the requirements of the FLEGT VPA.
Approach
The project's main activities are:
1. Updating legal regulations and improving institutional set-up to support the implementation of the FLEGT VPA to promote legal timber trade;
2. Expanding the skills of organisations and individuals involved in timber production and trade to ensure compliance with legal requirements;
3. Setting up the monitoring and evaluation framework for FLEGT VPA implementation and assessing socio-economic results
All activities promote gender equality.