Timber trades in the Republic of Congo and Cameroon inch towards sustainability as MEPs consider the first of a series of agreements with African states.

Partnerships for sustainable forestry

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/15396031/N001-110117-001-EN.srt

Nearly half of the tropical timber imports  from Africa to the EU

come from illegally logged forests.  To curb the phenomenon,

the EU is about to sign an agreement  with the Congo and Cameroon,

the principal exporters of tropical timber.

The goal is to fight bad governance  and corruption in these countries.

The timber that they will be  exporting to the EU

will be traceable and come from  sustainable sources.

Iola Leal from the NGO FERN has been  working on the ground for over 15 years.

She thinks local populations, ignored  by the authorities and the companies,

In both agreements  there is a revision of the law

to make sure that the rights of  those communities are being recognised.

They will also be able to benefit directly  from their own forest resources.

If the Republic of Congo or Cameroon  fail to comply with the agreement,

the EU can ban tropical timber imports  from the country in question.

through which civil society organisations  can file a complaint,

if they consider one of the parties  to be breaking the agreement.

the first operating licenses  could be issued in 2011 or 2012.

Similar agreements could soon be signed  notably with Malaysia and the Philippines.