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Clear improvements can be seen in the final text, but much still remains to be done before future FLEGT licensed timber can guarantee that indigenous peoples’ rights are fully protected.

FPP together with EU NGOs has today released a shared vision calling on the EU to take action on deforestation and forest degradation, with respect for human rights and good governance of land tenure at its core.

In July 2014 the European Commission embarked on an evaluation of the EU FLEGT Action Plan. FLEGT stands for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade and is the EU’s response to illegal logging and associated illicit trade. The action plan was adopted in 2003 and since then several so-called voluntary partnership agreements (VPAs) between the EU and producer countries have been negotiated as part of the initiative.

En julio de 2014 la Comisión Europea se embarcó en una evaluación del Plan de Acción sobre la Aplicación de las Leyes, la Gobernanza y el Comercio Forestales (FLEGT por sus siglas en inglés) de la UE. Este plan es la respuesta de la UE a la tala ilegal y el comercio ilícito que lleva asociado. El plan de acción fue adoptado en 2003 y desde entonces se han negociado varios acuerdos voluntarios de asociación (AVA) entre la UE y los países productores como parte de la iniciativa. Al mejorar la regulación y la gobernanza de los bosques, los AVA deben supuestamente garantizar que la madera y los productos madereros que se exporten a la UE sean legales.

En juillet 2014, la Commission européenne a entamé une évaluation du Plan d’Action FLEGT de l’UE. FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) signifie application des réglementations forestières, gouvernance et échanges commerciaux, et constitue la réponse de l'UE à l’exploitation forestière illégale et au commerce illicite qui y est associé. Le plan d’action a été adopté en 2003, et depuis cette date plusieurs accords de partenariat volontaires (APV) entre l'UE et les pays producteurs ont été négociés dans le cadre de cette initiative. Grâce à l'amélioration de la réglementation et de la gouvernance forestières, les APV sont censés garantir que le bois et les produits du bois exportés vers l'UE sont licites.

Pada bulan Juli 2014 Komisi Eropa memulai evaluasi Rencana Aksi FLEGT EU. FLEGT adalah singkatan dari Penegakan Hukum, Tata Kelola dan Perdagangan Bidang Kehutanan dari Uni Eropa dan merupakan tanggapan Uni Eropa terhadap pembalakan liar dan perdagangan gelap yang berkaitan dengannya. Rencana aksi EU ini diadopsi pada tahun 2003 dan sejak itu dilaksanakan perundingan-perundingan apa yang disebut kesepakatan kemitraan sukarela (VPA) antara Uni Eropa dan negara-negara produsen sebagai bagian dari inisiatif ini. Dengan menyempurnakan regulasi dan tata kelola hutan, VPA dimaksudkan untuk memastikan bahwa kayu dan produk kayu yang diekspor ke EU adalah produk legal.

Deforestation and forest degradation have increased in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), despite the government’s commitment to safeguard its forests.Illegal logging, unsustainable mining, commercial agriculture, and urban demand for fuelwood represent only some of the major long-term threats to the forests. By contrast, the traditional livelihood strategies of indigenous and local communities show a capacity to coexist with forests sustainably.

La déforestation et la dégradation des forêts ont augmenté en République démocratique du Congo (RDC) malgré l’engagement du gouvernement de protéger ses forêts. Les activités commerciales d’envergure industrielle constituent d’importantes menaces directes à long terme sur les forêts. En revanche, les strategies et modes de subsistance traditionnelles des communautés autochtones et locales montrent qu’elles peuvent coexister durablement avec les forêts.

In this briefing, UK and European NGOs call on the EU to maintain, upgrade and strengthen its FLEGT programme. Key recommendations include the need to take specific measures to ensure that FLEGT in general, and VPAs and timber legality assurance systems specifically, include language on compliance with international human rights law as an essential element of “legality” in timber supply chains.

This review of existing and draft VPAs, carried out by the Forest Peoples Programme (FPP) finds that, across the board, VPAs do not require the incorporation of human rights laws (and more specifically, laws governing the fundamental question of community tenure in forest areas).

In two newly released reports, indigenous leaders point out that the current concession allocations system in Guyana is unjust, severely flawed and facilitated by a national legal framework that does not fully respect their internationally protected rights to their customary lands and resources.“The foreign companies come and they have legal rights and we the people who have been living here all the time do not have legal rights.” [Resident, Kwebanna village]

SUMMARY AND KEY RECOMMENDATIONSFPP finds that key positive aspects and impacts of the 2003 EU FLEGT Action Plan include, inter alia:

This statement was presented by the indigenous representatives participating in a seminar organised by the Amerindian Peoples Association in Georgetown, February 2015.

In 2012 Guyana started negotiations with the EU with the aim of entering into a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) that will seek to ensure that Guyana exports only legal timber into the EU market. The VPA is a measure required under the Action Plan on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) adopted by the EU in 2003 which aims to reduce illegal logging by strengthening sustainable forest management, improving governance and promoting trade in legally produced timber.

En 2012, Guyana inició negociaciones con la UE con el objetivo de celebrar un acuerdo voluntario de asociación (AVA) para asegurar que Guyana exporta únicamente madera legal al mercado de la UE. El AVA es una medida exigida bajo el plan de acción para la aplicación de las leyes, gobernanza y comercio forestales (FLEGT por sus siglas en inglés), adoptado por la UE en 2003, que tiene como finalidad reducir la tala ilegal mediante el fortalecimiento de la gestión forestal sostenible, la mejora de la gobernanza y la promoción del comercio de madera producida legalmente.

En 2012, le Guyana a entamé des négociations avec l’UE dans le but de conclure un Accord de partenariat volontaire (APV) qui visera à garantir que le Guyana n’exporte que du bois légal vers le marché de l’UE.

Pada tahun 2012 Guyana memulai negosiasi dengan Uni Eropa dengan tujuan untuk memasuki Kesepakatan Kemitraan Sukarela (VPA) yang akan berupaya memastikan bahwa Guyana mengekspor hanya kayu legal ke pasar Uni Eropa. VPA adalah langkah yang diwajibkan dalam Rencana Aksi Penegakan Hukum Kehutanan, Tata Kelola dan Perdagangan (FLEGT) yang diadopsi oleh Uni Eropa pada tahun 2003 yang bertujuan untuk mengurangi pembalakan liar dengan menguatkan pengelolaan hutan lestari, meningkatkan tata kelola dan mempromosikan perdagangan kayu yang dihasilkan secara legal.

Guyana has been a major proponent of international funding for avoided deforestation in tropical countries. In 2009 the government signed an MOU with the Kingdom of Norway under an agreement to reduce deforestation, pursue low carbon (non-fossil fuel) development and enter into negotiations with the EU on a trade treaty under the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) initiative. Almost five years after the signing of this bilateral agreement, how are indigenous peoples’ rights and local benefit sharing issues being addressed in Guyana’s land use, forest and climate policies?