REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Ministry of Environment and Forestry has stated that the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade-Voluntary Partnership Agreement with 28 Uni European countries will be issued in November 15, 2016.

"Effective November 15, 2016, Indonesia's timbers will be allowed to enter 28 Uni European countries without passing fit and proper tests," the Director General of Sustainable Forest Management at the ministry, Ida Bagus Putera Parthama, said here on Friday.

He explained that FLEGT-VPA is a license that aims to reduce illegal logging by strengthening sustainable forest management, improving governance and promoting legal timber trade. According to him, FLEGT certificate will increase the competitiveness of Indonesia's timber products in the international market.

"The license applies not only to the European market but also other markets that impose conditions for legality of wood products, such as Australia which bans illegal logging," Putera said.

The issuance of FLEGT-VAP is confirmed by a statement from the European Forest Institute (EFI) as a representative of the European Union (EU). It said Indonesia has completed all requirements for the submission of FLEGT-VAP.

In the two months period, the EU Parliament and Council submitted no objection to Indonesia's proposal statement and rebuttal submission period ended on August 10. Indonesia has the right to issue FLEGT license effective November 15, 2016.

The EU regulation provides 90 days, after the parliament passed Indonesia's licensing request, for the member states to make preparations to receive certified timber from the country.

The ministry records that about two thousand primary and advanced timber exporters in Indonesia have Timber Legality Verification System. They process raw materials from around 24 million hectares of Indonesia's forests.

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