Forest Law and Governance: Press Releases

6 May 2010, saw representatives from Cameroon and the EU conclude a trade agreement that aims to ensure Cameroonian timber is legal when sold on the domestic market or exported to the EU and other countries.

This press release gives the view of civil society, concluding that steps have been made in the right direction thanks to a strong, inclusive consultation process by both the Cameroonian government and the European Commission. However, success in terms of forests will only come through strong implementation.

In an open letter to Commission President Barroso, FERN, Greenpeace, FoE, WWF and Global Witness express their concern that a legislative proposal to control the import and use of illegal timber, as part of the EU FLEGT Programme, has been postponed again.

Under intense pressure from the timber industry – including many familiar faces from the past – the Forest Development Authority (FDA) of Liberia has started to issue timber contracts. Yet key legislation on community rights – to ensure an equitable balance between community, conservation and commercial forestry – is still in draft. The rush to allow a timber trade with a poor track record of corruption and trampling on community rights raises the spectre of Liberia’s forests once again undermining stability in this fragile country.