VPA annex on EU procedures for imports of FLEGT-licensed timber products
The annex on EU procedures for imports of FLEGT-licensed timber products varies little among Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) as it draws on the EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Regulation of 2005. This annex explains EU border control measures and describes the procedures authorities in EU member states will follow when a shipment of FLEGT-licensed timber or timber products arrives from a VPA partner country.
Control measures and procedures are enshrined in the EU FLEGT Regulation of 2005 and its Implementing Regulation of 2008. Under these regulations, once a VPA country starts FLEGT licensing, designated competent authorities in EU member states must verify that consignments of timber from the VPA partner country have valid FLEGT licences.
The annex on EU procedures for imports of FLEGT-licensed timber products explains two kinds of checks:
- Documentary checks of licences to ensure they have the correct format, date and content
- Physical checks, according to the normal procedures of customs authorities in EU member states, to ensure a consignment conforms with the accompanying licence