Joint Press Release: Indonesia and the EU Adopt New Timber Trade Legality Rules ....

Hi FLEGT Folks,

I just wanted to clear up some confusion caused by journalists here in Jakarta reporting on developments on the VPA and related legality assurance schemes.

On Tuesday (22/1/13) Indonesia and the EU held a joint press conference on the state of the Voluntary Partneship Agreement, the Indonesian Timber Legality Assurance System known as the SVLK, and the EU Timber Regulation.  

The Press Release is attached and is an accurate description of where Indonesia is now.  However, some journalists have jumped the gun and claimed that the EU Ambassador said that the EU now accepts SVLK timber as legal under the EU TR.  This is not true - I was there - the ambassador's statements were consistent with the press release, and very clearly delivered.  The EU is issuing corrective letters to the papers concerned.

In fact the "operationality" of the SVLK has not yet been assessed yet, nor has the VPA been signed and ratified, although all three of these steps should happen this year.  However, Indonesia is making good progress implementing the SVLK: As of 1st January 2013, Indonesia ditched the old BRIK export licencing scheme and replaced it with the V-legal system covering 26 timber product types, and which requires that all timber used in these products is SVLK-licenced.  Some 3,000+ export "V-Legal" licences have already been issued this year, and EU buyers are beginning to recognise that the SVLK lowers the risk of importing illegal timber under the EU Timber Regulation. 

As a result of this progress the Indonesian government is leading a business delegation to the UK and Belgium next month to explain this progress, at two interactive business dialogues in London and Brussels, and at Chatham House.

It is irritating when journalists misquote to make a story but there is little the EU or Indonesia can do but continue to clarify the situation.  I hope the above contributes to that cause.  

Regards, 

Andy Roby 

FLEGT VPA Facilitator in Jakarta, Indonesia