ID :
138436
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 07:01
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http://m.oananews.org//node/138436
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Vietnam and the EU are to hold the first round of formal negotiations on a bilateral Voluntary Partnership Agreement
Hanoi (VNA)- Vietnam and the EU are to hold the first round of formal
negotiations on a bilateral Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) for Forest Law
Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) in Hanoi by late November.
At the first VPA preparatory meeting on August 16, both sides raised hopes that
the negotiations will conclude with the signing of a voluntary partnership
agreement by the end of 2012.
The agreement is expected to create conditions for Vietnam ’s timber
producers to improve their position on the EU market and increase their ability
to adapt to EU market requirements with respect to the legality of timber. The
agreement aims to establish control and licensing procedures in timber producing
and processing countries to ensure that only timber products derived from legally
harvested timber enter the EU.
At the VPA preparatory meeting, the Charge d’Affaires of the EU delegation Hans
Farnhammer emphasised the importance of the agreement. He said, “We do hope
that the signing of the FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement will help to
further strengthen the position of Vietnam ’s timber and timber products in
the EU market. The forthcoming negotiations are witness to Vietnam ’s
commitment to meeting EU consumer demands as well as fighting climate change”.
Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hua Duc Nhi said, “This is
the first step to ensure the exports of timber and timber products from Vietnam
to the EU continue smoothly in years to come. In the long run, the VPA will give
legal certainty and bankable guarantees to exporters, importers and investors in
the timber sector willing to trade with the EU”.
The FLEGT will come into force from January 2012, demanding the transparency of
forest products in all fields, from exploitation to end-products, so the EU can
trace the origin of raw materials.
The EU has so far signed FLEGT VPA with three African countries and is conducting
negotiations with several others in Asia .
Vietnam is one of the world’s biggest timber furniture suppliers and the EU
is the second largest market of Vietnamese timber products, following the US
.
In the first seven months of the year, Vietnam earned over 1.9 billion USD
from exports of forest products and wood furniture, representing an increase of
31 percent year on year. The country, however, has to import raw material and
other timber products with revenues hitting 605 million USD in the first seven
months of the year, an increase of 33 percent year on year.--Enditem
negotiations on a bilateral Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) for Forest Law
Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) in Hanoi by late November.
At the first VPA preparatory meeting on August 16, both sides raised hopes that
the negotiations will conclude with the signing of a voluntary partnership
agreement by the end of 2012.
The agreement is expected to create conditions for Vietnam ’s timber
producers to improve their position on the EU market and increase their ability
to adapt to EU market requirements with respect to the legality of timber. The
agreement aims to establish control and licensing procedures in timber producing
and processing countries to ensure that only timber products derived from legally
harvested timber enter the EU.
At the VPA preparatory meeting, the Charge d’Affaires of the EU delegation Hans
Farnhammer emphasised the importance of the agreement. He said, “We do hope
that the signing of the FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement will help to
further strengthen the position of Vietnam ’s timber and timber products in
the EU market. The forthcoming negotiations are witness to Vietnam ’s
commitment to meeting EU consumer demands as well as fighting climate change”.
Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hua Duc Nhi said, “This is
the first step to ensure the exports of timber and timber products from Vietnam
to the EU continue smoothly in years to come. In the long run, the VPA will give
legal certainty and bankable guarantees to exporters, importers and investors in
the timber sector willing to trade with the EU”.
The FLEGT will come into force from January 2012, demanding the transparency of
forest products in all fields, from exploitation to end-products, so the EU can
trace the origin of raw materials.
The EU has so far signed FLEGT VPA with three African countries and is conducting
negotiations with several others in Asia .
Vietnam is one of the world’s biggest timber furniture suppliers and the EU
is the second largest market of Vietnamese timber products, following the US
.
In the first seven months of the year, Vietnam earned over 1.9 billion USD
from exports of forest products and wood furniture, representing an increase of
31 percent year on year. The country, however, has to import raw material and
other timber products with revenues hitting 605 million USD in the first seven
months of the year, an increase of 33 percent year on year.--Enditem
