19 June 2012: EU coordination meeting on the Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT)

1.  Update on VPAs

Overview of country processes-

MAP: FLEGT VPA partner countries

New countries: Guyana, Honduras, Laos, Cote d'Ivoire

• o   Are any Member States prepared to accompany these new processes?

Issues arising in on-going negotiations: Malaysia, Vietnam, Gabon, DRC

Challenges of Implementation: establishing LAS;  Tracking systems update; Sustaining stakeholder processes; Impact monitoring; Independent Market Monitor

Feedback from Joint Implementation Committees: lessons learnt.

• o   MS reflections on Rules of Procedure, Annual report structure? The Aide Memoires of the Ghana, Cameroon and Liberia JIC are attached for information

Preparation for FLEGT licensed timber on the EU side: See attached synthesis of information received from MS (through CIRCA for the FLEGT Committee). Update from workshop on Customs role in FLEGT license inspection.

• o   Please provide update on the attached Table that identifies competent authorities (note still missing detail for: Czech Rep., Estonia, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Slovenia).

In addition, on a number of occasions MS have raised concerns over coordination of approaches on verification procedures, sanctions and handling problematic licenses.

• o   Any MS want to volunteer to prepare a non-paper on questions of coordination on such matters?

2.  Coordination and planning future FLEGT actions: Coordination of EU efforts and ideas on how to work more efficiently together. DEVCO to present an overview & MS ideas welcome!

Identification of need for more support: new countries entering process (FLEGT Envoys are needed in Gabon, Laos, Guyana, Honduras, Cote d'Ivoire); Estimates of the support needed for VPA negotiations and implementation – identification of important gaps. 

Summary information will be sent in advance of the meeting. We would welcome a discussion on what support MS can provide and a discussion on what measures to take to attract the required support   

Linked to the question of needs: any volunteers for a non-paper on how to tackle growing demand for VPAs, particularly in light of the EU Timber regulation?

Coordination of FLEGT projects: feedback from FLEGT week; introduction to the capacity4dev FLEGT group see:  http://capacity4dev.ec.europa.eu/public-flegt/

• o   We propose to set up a "closed group" on capacity4dev to share information and updates with the ad hoc group: Yes? No? We will sign you up on site!!

Interactive map of Commission FLEGT projects See:  http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/temp/flegt

• o   Discussion on whether to integrate MS projects as well. See attached template to upload project information

Country level coordination: FAO Facility update, local call for proposals EU, MS initiatives.

Update on ENRTP: target projects and call for proposals; discuss opportunities for parallel coordinated support.

Feedback and further discussion on high level political meeting to reflect on FLEGT so far, to bring together Ministers of VPA countries. FAO Accra Lesson Learning event–October. Suggestion whether to propose a high level segment to bring regional FLEGT partners together?

3. EU Timber Regulation and FLEGT VPAs: communications and outreach on the linkages between the VPA and EU Timber regulation. Discussion on key messages, planned outreach, private sector initiatives; questions from VPA country discussions. Tour de Table MS and EFI, DG ENV to share ideas on communication strategy (and TORs)  

4.  Update on other FLEGT actions: China and India Env't dialogues, ITTO side event legality requirements, Burma/Myanmar, ASEM Summit  other actions to report from MS?

 SUMMARY of the MEETING (26 July 2012)