The Government of Lao PDR (GoL) is committed to combat illegal logging and its devastating social, economic and environmental impacts. To enhance strictness on the management and inspection of timber exploitation, GoL has issued legal documents for instance Forestry Law No. 06/NA, dated 24 December 2007; Order on Enhancing Strictness on the Management and Inspection of Timber Exploitation, Timber Movement and Timber Business No. 15/PM dated 13 May 2016; and Decision on the Approval of the List of Wooden Products for Export No. 0002/MOIC.DIH, dated 03 January 2018.
The negotiations on a Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the European Union aims to discuss the progress made toward the development of a system to ensure the legality of timber, which will verify that timber and timber products comply with laws. VPA stipulates conditions for the export of timber products conform with GoL’s policies towards exploitation and processing of timber to be sustainable and valuable.
“Lao PDR discussed with the EU on the progress of timber legality assurance system, which is a system to ensure the legality of timber and verify that timber and timber products comply with Lao Laws. Since the first face to face negotiation in April 2017, Lao side has further elaborated on various elements of this system. It has further progressed on the development of the timber legality definition.”. Dr. Phouangparisak Pravongviengkham, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry said.
According to the news on Lao Economic Daily newspaper, the EU and Lao PDR reviewed and revised the draft timber legality definition of 1) production forest, 2) labor obligation, 3) wood processing and trade. After the adoption of this definition, it will be conducted and disseminated in the pilot provinces throughout the country in order to verify the integrity and operation of timber legality definition. Moreover, the definition can be a reference for the amendment of the laws and timber legality assurance system.
The exploitation and processing of timber system are defined in VPA, it is a sustainable and effective system without negatively affecting the economy, the environment and society. Thus, law enforcement will be more strictly in order to combat illegal logging that impacts on ecosystems, economics, and society.
Source news: Lao Economic Daily
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