1. Timber sector professional associations reinforcement with a view to implementing FLEGT action plan in Congo basin and West Africa Bérénice Castadot 27 April 2012

2. ATIBT/IFIA ATIBT = Association Technique Internationale des Bois Tropicaux – established in 1951 – technical issues IFIA = Interafrican Forest Industries Association – founded in 1996 – Political issues – linked together with 4 professional associations (Gabon, Cameroon, DRC and Ivory Coast) One team in Paris  merger in 2012 Projects dedicated to sector support : 3 axes of intervention - Legality and sustainability (FLEGT, certifications, REDD+, trainings, etc.) - Timber processing (trainings, expertise, etc.) - Market access

3. Timber sector professional associations reinforcement with a view to implementing FLEGT action plan in Congo basin and West Africa Organization: IFIA/ATIBT Objective: Improving private sector contribution to FLEGT mechanism thanks to Timber sector professional associations capacities reinforcement Target group: private sector Main area of work: Information and sensitization Localization: Central and West Africa (Cameroon, Gabon, CAR, DRC, Congo, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Liberia) Main local partners: GFBC (Cameroon), FIB (DRC), SPIB (Ivory Coast), UFIGA (Gabon) Dates of implementation: 1/03/2009 – 30/09/2011 Budget: 599.398,20 € Funding partners: 94.984,66 € (IFIA-local partners), 11.860,53 € (MAE Gabon), 15.982,00 € (MAAPRAT)

4. Statement and implementing strategy Private sector hardly implicated in the process because of: - Having the impression to be pushes aside by the government - Already holding a certificate (legality of forest management) - Struggling with financial crisis  Sector and representatives sensitization on - National requirement - How to deal with markets requirements - Dialogue among all stakeholders - Unfair competition related to illegal logging - Links with REDD+ and private certification

5. Project main actions * Workshops on timber processing and timber markets development. What needs for legal timber products regarding VPA + developing new discussion habits among stakeholders. Around 50 to 150 persons (administrations, private sector, NGO). Organizers: FAO, ITTO, IFIA/ATIBT

6. Project main actions * Workshops on timber processing and timber markets development. What needs for legal timber products regarding VPA + developing new discussion habits among stakeholders. Around 50 to 150 persons (administrations, private sector, NGO). Organizers: FAO, ITTO, IFIA/ATIBT

7. Project main actions

8. Implemented actions: conclusions  Good understanding of FLEGT action plan (VPA – EUTR) by African private sector  Misunderstanding remains :« timber will not be sold in Europe in 2013 if no FLEGT licenses »  Traceability systems issues and lack of LAS implementation  Small adaptation of private certification schemes  Little understanding of FLEGT action plan in Europe

9. Project outcomes: -Information and sensitization of a key stakeholder = the private sector which will implement VPA -Improvement of African private sector awareness on FLEGT action plan importance -Improvement of public-private dialogue -Information of operators putting timber on European markets on VPA and EUTR links Implemented actions: conclusions

10. Future actions to be reinforced or implemented Maintain information actions efforts for the whole timber sector on FLEGT action plan especially on links existing between VPA and EUTR Keep on supporting VPA negotiations in countries like Gabon, DRC or Ivory Coast Formalize informal timber sector Launch a « meeting FLEGT requirements » process for private certification standards for an eventual recognition by VPA

11. Organise field tests gathering all the stakeholders concerned by VPA mechanism in order to identify capacity building actions necessary for an effective VPA and EUTR implementation Implement trainings allowing capacity building of stakeholders Identify FLEGT-REED+ synergies and lessons to be learned from VPA negotiation for REDD+ implementation Support EUTR implementation (information, private sector tests, trainings, etc.) Future actions to be reinforced or implemented

12. Thank you for your attention berenice.castadot@atibt.org