Special Report No 13/2015: EU support to timber‑producing countries under the FLEGT action plan

Summary:

Illegal logging and trade in illegally logged timber affect most of the forested countries. It causes environmental damage and loss of biodiversity, and has negative economic and social effects. The EU action plan on forest law enforcement, governance and trade (FLEGT) aims to reduce illegal logging globally by supporting forest governance in timber-producing countries and by reducing the imports of illegally harvested timber to the EU.

In this report the Court concludes that the Commission’s support to timber-producing countries in the framework of the FLEGT action plan was not sufficiently well managed. While the FLEGT action plan was conceived in an innovative way, the Commission did not devise an appropriate work plan with clear objectives, milestones and a dedicated budget. It did not clearly prioritise its assistance, and monitoring and reporting procedures were unsatisfactory. The main projects examined were not successful and the envisaged timber licensing schemes are not yet fully operational in any of the partner countries.

• Alternative Source 1

Official

European Court of Auditors: News, 22/10/2015: Illegal logging: 'Europe should put its own house in order' https://www.eca.europa.eu/en/Pages/NewsItem.aspx?nid=6174

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