Decision 2023/904
OJ L 121 05.05.2023, p. 0001

Results of vote in Parliament

The European Parliament adopted by 619 votes to 2, with 25 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union.

Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.

The purpose of the Agreement, in line with the parties' shared commitment to the sustainable management of all types of forests, is to provide a legal framework to ensure that all imports into the EU of timber products covered by the agreement from Guyana have been legally produced and, in so doing, to promote trade in timber products.

The Agreement also provides a basis for dialogue and cooperation between the parties to facilitate and promote its full implementation and to strengthen forest law enforcement and governance.

In particular, the Agreement establishes a licencing scheme that verifies and confirms the legality of timber products exported to the EU and third countries, as well as timber sold domestically.

Parliament also adopted a non-legislative resolution on the draft decision.

T9-0034/2023

The Committee on International Trade adopted a report by Karin KARLSBRO (Renew, SE) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union.

The committee recommended the European Parliament to give its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.

The purpose of the Agreement, in line with the parties' shared commitment to the sustainable management of all types of forests, is to provide a legal framework to ensure that all imports into the EU of timber products covered by the agreement from Guyana have been legally produced and, in so doing, to promote trade in timber products.

The Agreement also provides a basis for dialogue and cooperation between the parties to facilitate and promote its full implementation and to strengthen forest law enforcement and governance.

A9-0008/2023

PURPOSE: to conclude the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: on 21 May 2003, the Commission adopted a Communication to the Council and the European Parliament entitled "Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) - Proposal for an EU Action Plan".

The FLEGT action plan called for measures to combat illegal logging through the development of voluntary partnership agreements with timber-producing countries. The Council adopted its conclusions on the FLEGT Action Plan on 13 October 2003 and the European Parliament adopted its resolution on this issue on 11 July 2005.

The Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union has been signed subject to its conclusion at a later date. The agreement should be approved.

CONTENT: the purpose of the draft Council is to approve, on behalf of the Union, the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union.

09272/2022

PE735.509

PE736.503

PURPOSE: to conclude the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan, endorsed by the Council in 2003, proposes a series of measures to stop illegal logging. The cornerstone of this action plan is the establishment of FLEGT partnerships between the EU and timber producing countries.

In 2005, the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005 on the establishment of a FLEGT licensing scheme for imports of timber into the European Community, which allows for the verification of the legality of timber imported into the EU under the FLEGT partnerships.

In 2005, the Council authorised the Commission to negotiate FLEGT partnership agreements with timber producing countries. The Commission started negotiations with the Cooperative Republic of Guyana in 2013.

CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council decide to approve, on behalf of the Union, the voluntary partnership agreement between the European Union and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products.

The purpose of the agreement, in line with the parties' shared commitment to the sustainable management of all types of forests, is to provide a legal framework to ensure that all imports into the EU of timber products covered by the agreement from Guyana have been legally produced and, in so doing, to promote trade in timber products.

The agreement also provides a basis for dialogue and cooperation between the parties to facilitate and promote its full implementation and to strengthen forest law enforcement and governance.

In particular, the agreement establishes a licensing regime that verifies and confirms the legality of timber products exported to the EU and third countries, as well as timber sold domestically. With respect to imported timber, Guyana is committed to ensuring that it has been harvested in accordance with the legislation of its country of origin. To this end, Guyana will adopt specific legislation based on due diligence principles.

Guyana is also committed to reviewing its forestry regulations and strengthening them where necessary. It has also defined a framework within which to monitor legal compliance and conduct independent assessments of the system. To implement these measures, the parties agreed to an ambitious timetable over six years (from entry into force).

In addition, the agreement:

- establishes a Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Committee for dialogue and cooperation between the EU and Guyana on the licensing scheme, sets out a framework for stakeholder participation, the establishment of social safeguards, accountability and transparency, and also describes how complaints are handled, how monitoring will be carried out and how reporting will take place;

- covers all timber products currently produced in, imported into and exported from Guyana, in addition to those products listed in Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005;

- is underpinned by the principle of non-discrimination, which means that all stakeholders, whether in the forestry sector or not, will be affected. This includes those from the private sector, civil society, local and indigenous communities, as well as others who depend on forests;

- provides for the control of imports at the EU's borders, under Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005 on the FLEGT licensing scheme and Regulation (EC) No 1024/2008, which sets out the implementing rules.

COM(2022)0200
EUR-Lex