2nd Minutes Expert Meeting 150110
EU-INDONESIA FLEGT VPA EXPERTS MEETING
Jakarta, 15 January 2010,
nd
Minutes of the 2 meeting
1.
BACKGROUND: The first meeting of Joint EU-Indonesia Expert Team took place in September 2009 with an objective
to assess the gaps and compatibilities between Indonesia's new timber legality verification system (SVLK) and the EU
expectations for the FLEGT Timber Legality Assurance System (TLAS). In order to follow up the findings of the joint EUIndonesia expert team, the Ministry of Forestry has convened four multi-stakeholder Working Groups to further
develop SVLK. Working Groups have drafted guidelines to support the verification of the SVLK standards and are
currently field testing them in East Kalimantan.
2.
OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the 2 experts meeting is (i) to provide further clarifications on specific elements of
the SVLK / TLAS and relevant regulations, and (ii) to recommend how to further develop the system, with particular
nd
reference to FLEGT licensing and Independent Monitoring. These minutes summarise the findings of the 2 expert
meeting – a full technical report is annexed.
3.
LINKAGE BETWEEN SFM AND LEGALITY VERIFICATION STANDARDS: These two standards providing criteria and
indicators for forest concessions are rather different in terms of their requirements. Due to the differences in their
articulation, it is recommended that within the verification guidelines of the SFM standard, it is clearly stipulated that
the Independent Assessment and Verification agencies (LP&VI) have to check that the license holders comply with all
the Principles, Criteria, Indicators and Verifiers of the legality verification standard.
4.
CONTROL OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN: it is recommended that implementation guidelines are prepared to help forest
companies set up information systems (databases) to manage quantitative and other data on forest inventory,
harvesting, transportation, storing and processing of timber. These systems can be simple spreadsheets or more
sophisticated commercial products.
5.
VERIFICATION RESPONSIBILITIES: Compliance to SVLK requirements is periodically assessed by LP&VIs. NGOs or civil
society organizations can submit objections to the assessment results to LP&VIs for settlement. It is recommended
that the government agencies are provided with formal channels to affect the assessment results and consequently
issuance, suspension or withdrawal of conformity certificates.
6.
FLEGT LICENSING: LP&VIs appointed by the government of Indonesia and accredited to ISO 17020 can take on the
FLEGT licensing function. It is recommended that the competence requirements for licensing authorities are properly
documented and guidance is provided to outline the licensing procedures. Since the VPA is an accord between the
government of Indonesia and the EU, MoF or another relevant Indonesian ministry shall have the authority to
intervene in the FLEGT licensing activities and where necessary require changes to the current practices or initiation
of corrective actions.
7.
INDEPENDENT MONITORING: The NGOs registered in Indonesia and following mutually agreed monitoring protocols
will likely supervise the implementation of SVLK. It is also seen as necessary to have a formal oversight structure to
ensure the competence of monitoring staff, and quality of monitoring activities and related reports. The oversight
structure should be formally recognised by the government of Indonesia, needs to have access to necessary
nd
1
information sources and to report to the Joint Implementation Committee (JIC) on the monitoring findings.
1
A committee established for each VPA made up of representatives of the FLEGT partner country, the European
Commission and EU Member States, which will meet periodically to review VPA implementation
Jakarta, 15 January 2010,
nd
Minutes of the 2 meeting
1.
BACKGROUND: The first meeting of Joint EU-Indonesia Expert Team took place in September 2009 with an objective
to assess the gaps and compatibilities between Indonesia's new timber legality verification system (SVLK) and the EU
expectations for the FLEGT Timber Legality Assurance System (TLAS). In order to follow up the findings of the joint EUIndonesia expert team, the Ministry of Forestry has convened four multi-stakeholder Working Groups to further
develop SVLK. Working Groups have drafted guidelines to support the verification of the SVLK standards and are
currently field testing them in East Kalimantan.
2.
OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the 2 experts meeting is (i) to provide further clarifications on specific elements of
the SVLK / TLAS and relevant regulations, and (ii) to recommend how to further develop the system, with particular
nd
reference to FLEGT licensing and Independent Monitoring. These minutes summarise the findings of the 2 expert
meeting – a full technical report is annexed.
3.
LINKAGE BETWEEN SFM AND LEGALITY VERIFICATION STANDARDS: These two standards providing criteria and
indicators for forest concessions are rather different in terms of their requirements. Due to the differences in their
articulation, it is recommended that within the verification guidelines of the SFM standard, it is clearly stipulated that
the Independent Assessment and Verification agencies (LP&VI) have to check that the license holders comply with all
the Principles, Criteria, Indicators and Verifiers of the legality verification standard.
4.
CONTROL OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN: it is recommended that implementation guidelines are prepared to help forest
companies set up information systems (databases) to manage quantitative and other data on forest inventory,
harvesting, transportation, storing and processing of timber. These systems can be simple spreadsheets or more
sophisticated commercial products.
5.
VERIFICATION RESPONSIBILITIES: Compliance to SVLK requirements is periodically assessed by LP&VIs. NGOs or civil
society organizations can submit objections to the assessment results to LP&VIs for settlement. It is recommended
that the government agencies are provided with formal channels to affect the assessment results and consequently
issuance, suspension or withdrawal of conformity certificates.
6.
FLEGT LICENSING: LP&VIs appointed by the government of Indonesia and accredited to ISO 17020 can take on the
FLEGT licensing function. It is recommended that the competence requirements for licensing authorities are properly
documented and guidance is provided to outline the licensing procedures. Since the VPA is an accord between the
government of Indonesia and the EU, MoF or another relevant Indonesian ministry shall have the authority to
intervene in the FLEGT licensing activities and where necessary require changes to the current practices or initiation
of corrective actions.
7.
INDEPENDENT MONITORING: The NGOs registered in Indonesia and following mutually agreed monitoring protocols
will likely supervise the implementation of SVLK. It is also seen as necessary to have a formal oversight structure to
ensure the competence of monitoring staff, and quality of monitoring activities and related reports. The oversight
structure should be formally recognised by the government of Indonesia, needs to have access to necessary
nd
1
information sources and to report to the Joint Implementation Committee (JIC) on the monitoring findings.
1
A committee established for each VPA made up of representatives of the FLEGT partner country, the European
Commission and EU Member States, which will meet periodically to review VPA implementation