RI SECURES CERTIFICATION FOR TIMBER EXPORTS TO EUROPE

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 20 (Antara) - Indonesia, through the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), has secured the Forestry Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) certification for the exports of timber products to the European Union.          The FLEGT-VPA certification guarantees the legality of timber product exports to the European Union.           "If the FLEGT certification is implemented in the coming several months, Indonesia will become the first country in the world to have the license acknowledging that our forest timber products are sustainable and eco-friendly," Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi stated in Jakarta on Thursday (May 12).           The minister said Indonesia's success in securing the FLEGT-VPA certification was the culmination of a lengthy process, which began in 2003. At that time, the Forestry and Environment Ministry had developed the Timber Legality Verification System (SVLK).Thereafter, the Foreign Ministry had initiated negotiations with the European Union in 2007.           Indonesia and the European Union had signed an agreement on the implementation of the license regarding the FLEGT in 2013, and its ratification process was completed in 2014. The Indonesian Government and the European Union (EU) signed a Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade - Voluntary Partnership Agreement (FLEGT-VPA) on May 1, 2014.

RI AIMS TO BECOME BASE FOR ASEAN TIMBER INDUSTRY

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, Jan 27 (Antara) - By promoting the trade of certified timber through its timber legality verification system (SVLK) and the use of raw materials from plantation forests or timber estates, Indonesia hopes to become an ASEAN timber production base.          In addition, Indonesia is also determined to regain its share of the timber market in Europe, since it has the opportunity to become the first country to export timber products with the "Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade" (FLEGT) certification.          "We have a comparative advantage in the timber industry. Therefore, it is possible for Indonesia to become a production base," Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa said when inspecting the facilities of a timber estate company, PT Pundi Uniwood Industry, along with Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan in the Serang district, Banten, last week.          The Indonesian government hopes to encourage the development of the timber industry through the partnership model. That is expected to help Indonesia's timber industry face competition from the ASEAN Economic Community next year.