Council Decision (EU) 2023/904 of 7 March 2023 on the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union

What it is

to conclude the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act. BACKGROUND: the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan, endorsed by the Council in 2003, proposes a series of measures to stop illegal logging. The cornerstone of this action plan is the establishment of FLEGT partnerships between the EU and timber producing countries. In 2005, the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005 on the establishment of a FLEGT licensing scheme for imports of timber into the European Community, which allows for the verification of the legality of timber imported into the EU under the FLEGT partnerships. BACKGROUND: on 21 May 2003, the Commission adopted a Communication to the Council and the European Parliament entitled "Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) - Proposal for an EU Action Plan". The FLEGT action plan called for measures to combat illegal logging through the development of voluntary partnership agreements with timber-producing countries. The Council adopted its conclusions on the FLEGT Action Plan on 13 October 2003 and the European Parliament adopted its resolution on this issue on 11 July 2005. The Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union has been signed subject to its conclusion at a later date. The agreement should be approved. CONTENT: the purpose of the draft Council is to approve, on behalf of the Union, the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union. The Committee on International Trade adopted a report by Karin KARLSBRO (Renew, SE) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union. The committee recommended the European Parliament to give its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement. The European Parliament adopted by 619 votes to 2, with 25 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union. Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement. In particular, the Agreement establishes a licencing scheme that verifies and confirms the legality of timber products exported to the EU and third countries, as well as timber sold domestically. Parliament also adopted a non-legislative resolution on the draft decision.

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