Indonesian VPA faces delays
2 October 2012 by Cristina BrooksReports are emerging from Indonesia that the EU wants its ratification of the country’s Voluntary Partnership Agreement delayed until next year.
The Jakarta Post quotes an Indonesian forestry ministry official as saying the EU wants to postpone the expected November signing until next February.
This could cause delays in Indonesian timber exports to the EU as the EU Timber Regulation comes into force next March, the official said.
He thought such a delay would mean Indonesian legally-certified timber under the VPA could only be shipped from July as the EU would need more time to implement the VPA.
Indonesia is expected to be the first country to conclude a VPA with the EU.
Meanwhile, reports from Africa reveal that Ghana, the first country to sign a VPA with the EU, is still in the process of developing systems that will allow it to fulfil VPA provisions.
The end of 2013 has been suggested as a likely conclusion date for full VPA implementation.
