FLEGT talks start between EU and Congo

摘要

The Democratic Republic of Congo and the European Union signed a declaration, on 21 October in Brussels, that marks the start of negotiations for a voluntary partnership agreement to halt exports of illegal timber to the EU, the first stage of a process expected to be finalised by mid-2013. Commissioner Andris Piebalgs (development) signed the declaration on behalf of the European Commission, Development Cooperation Minister Charles Michel on behalf of the Belgian EU Presidency and Jose Bononge Endundo, minister for environment, nature conservation and tourism, on behalf of the DRC. FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) is the programme organised by the EU to combat trade in illegally harvested timber. It is based on voluntary partnership agreements between the EU and timber producing countries to control illegal imports into Europe and to encourage the partner countries to improve forest governance.