The EU has alerted Indonesia to the risk that the country would miss the opportunity to become the first in the world to achieve recognition of FLEGT licensed exports if the Ministry of Trade continues to allow the export of many wood products without the national SVLK license.
An extensive list of products were initially included in the VPA/FLEGT negotiations between Indonesia and the EU but the Indonesian Ministry of Trade has removed the requirement for SVLK certification from several items produced by small and medium sized companies arguing they could neither afford nor have the capacity to cope with the requirements of the SVLK.
Indonesia had agreed to reinstate the SVLK to products earlier agreed by the end of 2015 but this deadline was not achieved.
Agus Sarsito, Indonesia’s chief negotiator for the VPA and for the items included in the FLEGT scheme said the EU is ready to fully implement the VPA when Indonesia annuls the changes made to the product list.
Asmindo, the Indonesian Furniture Entrepreneurs Association says it recognises the benefits of SVLK certification since this will lead to FLEGT licensing and easy access to EU markets but wants furniture SMEs to be offered an easy and low cost way to comply.
