FLEGT is an acronym that stands for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade. It is an EU initiative aimed at addressing the problem of illegal logging and the associated trade in illegally harvested timber and timber products.
FLEGT is a comprehensive approach that seeks to ensure that timber and timber products imported into the EU come from legal and sustainable sources. It focuses on improving the enforcement of forestry laws in timber-producing countries, promoting good governance in the forestry sector, and facilitating the trade of legal timber through a system of voluntary licensing.
Under the FLEGT Action Plan, timber-producing countries are encouraged to develop systems that can verify the legality of their timber exports. These systems are known as Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) and include measures such as establishing legality frameworks, strengthening law enforcement capacity, and promoting transparency and stakeholder participation.
Once a VPA is implemented and a country’s timber is deemed legal, FLEGT licenses are issued for the export of timber and timber products to the EU. These licenses provide assurance to EU importers and consumers that the timber they are purchasing has been legally harvested and sourced.
FLEGT is seen as a key tool in addressing illegal logging and associated trade, and as a means to promote sustainable forest management and economic development in timber-producing countries. By promoting transparency, legality, and responsible forestry practices, FLEGT aims to contribute to conservation of forests, preservation of biodiversity, and reduction of carbon emissions stemming from illegal logging.
