Forest Sector Operators In Mabaruma Engaged On EU Compliance Requirements
–ahead of 2026 FLEGT licensing
IN an effort to strengthen forest governance and enhance market access for Guyanese timber products, several forest sector operators in Mabaruma participated in a European Union-funded compliance outreach session on Monday.
The event was implemented through the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) Guyana.
The outreach was hosted by the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Secretariat of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), with collaborative support from key national agencies including the Ministry of Labour (MOL), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).
As Guyana moves steadily towards full implementation of the FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) and the expected issuance of FLEGT licences by 2026, the session provided forest operators with critical information on the legal and operational requirements needed to access both local and EU markets.
Labour Officer Ms. Denise Duncan, alongside technical representatives from the GFC and partner institutions, led discussions on key areas of compliance, among them labour standards, environmental regulations, and social security obligations, all of which are essential components of the FLEGT VPA framework.
The outreach is part of a broader national effort to ensure that stakeholders across Guyana’s forest sector are prepared to meet international legality standards, and benefit from improved market access, once FLEGT licences come into effect.
The FLEGT VPA between Guyana and the EU aims to promote sustainable forest management, combat illegal logging, and ensure that timber exported to the EU comes from legal sources.
The licensing system will provide verified assurance to buyers in the EU, boosting the competitiveness of Guyana’s timber products on the global stage.
Additional outreach sessions are expected to continue in other forest-based regions, as the government and its partners work to build capacity and awareness throughout the sector.
Source: Guyana Chronicle (Adapted from Guyana-EU FLEGT Facebook)