EU-INDONESIA FLEGT VPA EXPERTS MEETING Jakarta, 15 January 2010,
Minutes of the 2ndmeeting
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 EU-Indonesia 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 2ndexperts 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 reference to FLEGT licensing and Independent Monitoring. These minutes summarise the findings of the 2ndexpert
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
information sources and to report to the Joint Implementation Committee
