Policy recommendations

  • The European Commission should adopt legislation which requires that only legally-harvested timber and timber products coming from legal sources and responsibly-managed forests be placed on the European market. Legislation should be cost-effective, fair and enforceable and should include sanctions. The primary responsibility for proving legality should rest with all companies that are importing or selling products in the EU, thus creating a level playing field and being WTO-compatible.
  • The European Commission should strengthen the FLEGT-process of supporting wood producing countries to improve forest law enforcement, tackle corruption and promote socially and environmentally responsible forest management.
  • The EU should enlarge the number of Voluntary Partnership Agreements with producing countries. A participatory multi-stakeholder process, including local communities and indigenous peoples, should be at the core of these VPAs.
  • The EU should broaden the range of products covered by VPAs to cover all timber products. 
  • The EU Member States should speed up the implementation of sustainable public procurement for wood products including social and environmental criteria. 
  • The European Commission should endeavour to bring best practices in EU countries together and give clear guidance to Member States on how they can implement sustainable procurement by developing guidelines and tools to include social and environmental criteria in public procurement.

Case: Illegal Logging

09-07-2008 Adoption report MEP Frithjof Schmidt: policy coherence for development

09 July 2008

In his report on 'policy coherence for development and the effects of the EU’s exploitation of certain biological and natural resources on development in West Africa', MEP Schmidt (Verts/ALE) points out several examples of incoherent policy outcomes in the fields of fisheries and illegal logging in the western African region, and asks the European Union to take its responsibility by re-examining its role in the region.

In one of her policy recommendations in the case study on 'illegal logging' the  EU Coherence Programme urges the European Commission to adopt legislation which requires that only legally-harvested timber and timber products coming from legal sources and responsibly-managed forests be placed on the European market. Legislation should be cost-effective, fair and enforceable and should include sanctions. The primary responsibility for proving legality should rest with all companies that are importing or selling products in the EU, thus creating a level playing field and being WTO-compatible.

In the case study on ‘fisheries partnership agreements’ the EU Coherence Programme emphasises that although some real progress has been made, these agreements still cause overexploitation of fish stocks, which jeopardizes the livelihood of current and future generations of local fishermen. And the highest added value – which lies in the processing industry – still accrues to European countries, thereby depriving ACP countries of vital development opportunities.

The EU Coherence Programme monitors the efforts made by MEPs to address Policy Coherence for Development in their daily political activities. Schmidt’s own initiative report is a very welcome act in this respect, as it demonstrates clearly how incoherent practices impact negatively on developing countries. By doing so, he effectively take action to promote coherence between development and environmental and fisheries policies. For this action, MEP Frithjof Schmidt is awarded a coherence star.

For more information read the press release below:

PRESS RELEASE - Strasbourg, 17 June 2008

EU Fisheries and Trade Policies

Fight fishing and forestry 'plunder economy' in West Africa

Commenting on today's adoption of his report on the role of the EU in the exploitation of natural resources in West Africa, rapporteur Frithjof Schmidt, Vice-President of the Development Committee said:

"With this report, the Parliament asks the Council and the Commission to drastically change track and commit towards sustainability in fish and timber import policies. The EU imports about 80% of the fish and timber that comes from the Economic Community of Western African States (ECOWAS). A major share of the commercial activity in the fields of fish and timber in West Africa is sourced from illegal predatory practices.

Diminishing natural resources leads to loss of livelihood for many West Africans. In desperation many flee in small boats over the Mediterranean or the Atlantic, a trip that thousands do not survive.  It is time for the EU to recognise its part of the responsibility for this tragedy and to radically change its policies.

Unfortunately, in a crucial vote, a majority formed by the EPP, PSE and Liberal groups deleted criticism of the potential threat of enlarging fishing capacities, which was in the paragraph on support for Joint Ventures in the fisheries sector. This vote shows that they are not serious about the fight against overfishing. 

We need improved monitoring of fish stocks and forests, as well as control over the activities of both domestic and foreign fishermen and loggers in West Africa. We need to support our West African partners in the sustainable management of resources, and in the targeted fight against the plunder economy. Fish and timber from these practices must not enter the EU market. Local populations dependent on fishing and forestry must be involved in decision-making and their interests must have priority over the foreign, export-oriented and industrial timber and fish exploitation that destroys their livelihoods."

 

More information?

Visit the website of the European Parliament

Visit the website of MEP Frithjof Schmidt