Indonesia and EU strengthen sustainable forest trade cooperation

Indonesia and the European Union are working to strengthen cooperation regarding environmental sustainability and the trade of responsibly sourced forest products. During the 11th meeting of the Joint Implementation Committee of the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade Voluntary Partnership Agreement (FLEGT-VPA), officials discussed ways to align trade and forestry regulations.

Laksmi Wijayanti, Director General of Sustainable Forest Management at the Ministry of Forestry, stated that Indonesia is utilizing the Legality and Sustainability Verification System (SVLK) and FLEGT-VPA to ensure the traceability of forest products for international markets. The dialogue aims to build a common understanding of market developments, specifically concerning the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

EU Ambassador Denis Chaibi noted that the FLEGT-VPA remains relevant during the implementation of the EUDR, as forest products holding a FLEGT license are recognized under the regulation.