Non-state actor in strengthening rights and improve governance through FLEGT-VPA in Lower

Mekong CountriesPresented by

Warangkana Rattanarat

RECOFTC – The Center for People and Forests

12 June 2017

What is FLEGT VPA?

- Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT)

- The EU's FLEGT Action Plan was established in 2003

- A Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) is a bilateral trade agreement between the EU and a timber-exporting country outside the EU.

• to guarantee that any wood exported from a timber-producing country to the EU comes from legal sources

• to help the partner country stop illegal logging by improving forest governance and regulation

Natural Forest(X)

Plantation/farm

Import timber

FLEGT VPA: Only legal timber can be imported to EU

ตลาดไมใ้นสหภาพยโุรป 28 ประเทศ

4. ใหใ้บรบัรองFLEGT

5. Independent Audit

3. Verification of compliance for operators and timber products

1. Legality

Definition

2.

Supply

chain

controls

(Chain of

Custody)

Timber Legality Assurance System - TLAS

4. FLEGT License

5. Independent Audit

3. Verification of compliance for operators and timber products

1. Legality

Definition

2. Supply chain

controls (Chain

of Custody)

Role of Non-State Actor

National process to improve Forest Governance

Land Tenure

Business capacity

DecentralizationTimber use right

Legal reform

4. FLEGT License

What are the gaps in law, governance and trade?

1.Law enforcement: Centralization of forest management and limited communities rights in managing and harvesting forest/timber. Laws are too restrictive and difficult to comply with.

2.Governance: lack of transparency and monitoring system, which is mainly controlled by gov. And limited participation in forest laws development.

3.Trade: incompleted supply chain controlled system that is workable for SMEs and lacking of support for SMEs in timber trade.

Insecure forest land tenure/no rights to harvest timber?

-More than 600,000 hh. Living in reserved forest areas.-Limited knowledge about laws and regulations of smallholders as well limited capacity local authorities.

-Red-tape/complex and long process-Corruption-Avoiding to share information to public as well coordination between government units.

-No incentive and support for legal timber trade.-Limited capacity of SMEs.-Limited coordination to link SMEs to big companies.

Strengthening rights and Improve governance

Participation of stakeholders in preparation of the negotiation

FLEGT’s goal: “Sustainable forest management + Fair trade”

Improved laws and regulations to promote rights and incentives of smallholders and communities to plant and management for economic returns

Independent mechanism in verification that is trusted by all parties and linked with int’l standards

Secured forest land tenure rights and sustainable forest management practices

Timber trade system that is fair and accessible by smallholders

Financial/funding mechanism to support local communities in sustainable forest management

FLEGT VPA Thailand

Technical

Negotiation

FLEGT VPA

Technical Working

Group (5 CSOs)

Technical support by

RFD

Sub-committee for

Negotiation

( 2 CSOs

representative)

Technical

Stakeholder

process

EU

Technical

support

( EC , EU , Del,EFI

Minister of MONRE

Thai

-EU

Se

cret

aria

t O

ffic

e TE

FSO

Negotiation Technical

Negotiation EU

Minister of EG

Thai Govt Political level EU

• Learning forum and form a network ‘Thai CSOs FLEGT Network

• Directly participate in FLEGT VPA process

• Monitor and participate in laws development process

• Capacity development• Research and documentation• Piloting• Facilitation discussion

Engagement strategy

• Clarity of Forest land tenure rights and timber legality

• Simplify and education on forestry laws and plantation acts

• Capacity development SMEs to develop appropriate timber business models

• Engagement of stakeholders in FLEGT VPA negotiation process and especially in national forestry law development processes

• Increased engagement between smallholders and private sector to influence policies due to similar agenda

Key learning issues

Dawna Tenasserim LandscapeTanintharyi Nature Reserve (Mm) & Western Forest Complex (Th) Northern Th - La Transboundary Landscape Doi Phu Kha National Park (Th) & Nam Pouy National Protected Area (La)Transboundary Vn - La - Kh Landscape a) Eastern Plains Landscape (Kh bordering Vn);b) Kon Tum province, Central Annamites; Quang Nam province, Central Highlands (Vn bordering Kh & La); c) Xe Pian & Dong Amphan National Biodiversity Conservation Areas (La)

MEKONG AND TRANSBOUNDARY

LANDSCAPES

“By 2021, empowered and networked NSAs in 3 transboundary landscapes assess, monitor and respond appropriately to strengthen forest governance, particularly in FLEGT-VPA and REDD+, and effectively engage in policy processes”

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE/OUTCOME

Local people hold the key to healthy forests

www.recoftc.org

THANK YOU