FLEGT Licence
FLEGT licences will be issued when GTLAS verifies that the timber products are legal. Guyana will begin the FLEGT Licencing Scheme when it has implemented GTLAS and other VPA commitments.
FLEGT Licences will be issued when it is verified by both the European Union (EU) and Guyana that the Guyana Timber Legality Assurance System (GTLAS) works.
Once FLEGT Licensing begins, a valid FLEGT Licence must accompany all exports to the EU of Guyanese timber-based products listed in Annex I of the VPA.
The FLEGT Secretariat of the GFC will be the official Licensing Authority for FLEGT Licences.
Licences and certificates will be issued for:
- Shipments to the EU market – Both a FLEGT Licence and Export Certificate
- Shipments destined to all other markets – Only an Export Certificate.
EU customs officials will deny entry to any products covered by the VPA that arrive without a valid FLEGT Licence. Products outside the scope of Annex I will remain subject to the normal due diligence requirements of the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR).
The EUTR prohibits the placement of illegally harvested timber or timber products derived from such timber on the EU market. It requires that:
- FSOs placing timber or timber products on the EU market ensure that timber and timber products are legally harvested (due diligence).
- ‘Traders’ who buy or sell timber products in the EU keep records of their suppliers and customers to facilitate the traceability of timber and timber products.
Benefits and Advantages
Can Enter the EU Market
FLEGT licensed timber and timber products meet the due diligence requirements of the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR). The EUTR requires that operators exercise due diligence when placing timber or timber products on the market. EUTR defines operators as any natural or legal person that places timber or timber products on the EU market.
Improves Business Efficiency
Therefore, if you are an operator, you can place FLEGT licensed products on the EU market, saving relevant time and work and improving the efficiency of your business.
Contributes to a Better Guyana and Sector
Guyana will have a robust, audited system for tracking timber and verifying its legality throughout the supply chain – GTLAS. Guyana has also committed to making information about its forest sector publicly available, improving transparency. FLEGT Licensing Schemes also promote legal trade, a fair market, a multistakeholder process to improve forest governance and contributes to social and environmental goals.
Main Benefits of the VPA
PEFC and FLEGT
Guyana is moving towards a National Forest Management Standard and Certification System offered by the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). PEFC recognizes and complements the VPA, linking government policies and local processes.
PEFC Forest Certification and the FLEGT Timber Legality Verification were developed in response to issues affecting the forestry sector, some of which are deforestation linked to illegal forest activities, poor forest governance and the limited effectiveness of forest-related responses.
However, PEFC certification promotes sustainable forest management while the FLEGT VPA focuses on legality linked to governance.
Regardless, the compliance requirements for PEFC and FLEGT are the same. FSOs who comply with all the sustainability and legality requirements and processes will be issued a PEFC Certificate or FLEGT License, depending on the destination market. The FLEGT Licence is the only acceptable document for exporting to the EU.
FSC
A goal of the FLEGT Action Plan is to achieve sustainable forest management within and outside the EU. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) shares this goal by promoting sustainable forest management through its certification scheme.
Legality is also one of the principles of the FSC Certification scheme, as it is believed that this is essential towards achieving sustainability.
FSC strongly supports VPAs and can be found in some VPA countries.
In Guyana, the FSC Controlled Wood certification covers the production and distribution of lumber and outdoor furniture. The certificate also covers a verification programme for the control of wood sources from identified supply areas in Guyana and the sale of FSC Controlled Wood.
