EU/Central African Republic Voluntary Partnership Agreement: forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the EU (FLEGT)

The Committee on International Trade unanimously adopted the report drafted by Elisabeth KÖSTINGER (EPP, AT) in which it recommends the European Parliament to give its consent to the conclusion of a Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Central African Republic on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the European Union (FLEGT).

However, Members call on the Commission to regularly report to the Parliament on progress in the implementation of existing Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) and in negotiating and implementing new VPAs.

Members consider that both the Central African Republic government and the European Commission will need to devote sufficient attention to effective and timely VPA enforcement, including capacity building, participation of local communities, safeguards for indigenous populations as well as to general awareness-raising on the VPA among the various stakeholders.

Moreover, they stress the need for possible future delegation of powers to fully take into account the Parliament's prerogatives under the regime of Delegated Acts (Article 290 TFEU).