"If the FLEGT certification is implemented in the coming several months, Indonesia will become the first country in the world to have the license acknowledging that our forest timber products are sustainable and eco-friendly," Foreign Minister RetnoJakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia, through the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), has secured the Forestry Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) certification for the exports of timber products to the European Union.
The FLEGT-VPA certification guarantees the legality of timber product exports to the European Union.
"If the FLEGT certification is implemented in the coming several months, Indonesia will become the first country in the world to have the license acknowledging that our forest timber products are sustainable and eco-friendly," Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi stated in Jakarta on Thursday (May 12).
The minister said Indonesias success in securing the FLEGT-VPA certification was the culmination of a lengthy process, which began in 2003. At that time, the Forestry and Environment Ministry had developed the Timber Legality Verification System (SVLK).Thereafter, the Foreign Ministry had initiated negotiations with the European Union in 2007.
Indonesia and the European Union had signed an agreement on the implementation of the license regarding the FLEGT in 2013, and its ratification process was completed in 2014.
Retno remarked that the European Union had demonstrated its commitment to implementing the FLEGT license during President Joko Widodos (Jokowis) visit to the European Union Institution in Brussels, Belgium, and had held direct discussions with the president of the European Union Council on April 21, 2016.
"This achievement is the outcome of an intensive, strong, and total diplomacy. It was conducted not only by the government circles but also by other stakeholders. This is a new asset to reinforce our economic diplomacy," the foreign minister noted at a press conference at the Manggala Wanabhakti building.
Forestry and Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya, Trade Minister Thomas Lembong, Industry Minister Saleh Husin, and Ambassador for Indonesian Legal Forest Timber Products Valeria Daniel were also present at the press conference.
Trade Minister Lembong stated that the FLEGT license awarded to Indonesia was a form of recognition to the Indonesian SVLK.
"I have to say frankly that this is the victory of the forestry and environment minister, who designed the system, and the foreign minister, who conducted the diplomacy," Minister Thomas affirmed.
According to Minister Retno, the Indonesian diplomatic team should continue to make efforts to ensure that the FLEGT license is implemented soon, so its benefits would be enjoyed by the Indonesian timber and furniture businesses.
"In the end, all sides will enjoy the benefits of the license. Now, we are moving towards the implementation of the FLEGT license," she said.
This is a lengthy process, which needed a strong commitment not only from the government but also from the private sector, according to the foreign minister.
"This also should change our mindset. We hope this year (2016), the FLEGT will already be applied by all members of the European Union," Marsudi noted.
The minister remarked that the FLEGT certification will increase the rating of Indonesian timber products in the European market, which gives priority to the legality of raw materials for forest sustainability.
"The European Union will be able to recognize Indonesias commitment to implementing a sustainable system in the development of timber products and the rating of its timber product exports to other countries," she noted.
After all, the minister underscored that some 42.96 percent of Indonesias timber export destination countries, such as the United States, Japan, Australia, and nations of the European Union, had applied good forestry governance.
"Each of these countries has its own standards for importing timber products. We already meet the standards for each of those countries, yet with the recognition of the European Union (through the FLEGT), we have proven that we care about it (the preservation and sustainability of forests)," she emphasized.
With the implementation of the FLEGT, the foreign minister also underscored that Indonesia would continue to ensure that the export destination countries consistently received legal timber products, so the nation would be able to reap the benefits of this certification.
"To ensure this, we will continue to communicate with the European Union," Retno added.
In the meantime, the Indonesian Association of Craftsmanship Development (APIKRI) expressed its agreement to the governments ruling that necessitated the exporters of timber products to follow the SVLK.
"The support is a reflection of nationalism that focuses on protecting the country from the threat of environmental degradation," Director of APIKRI Amir Panzuri stated here on Wednesday (May 11).
Amir remarked that the implementation of the SVLK policy was in line with the principle of fair trade that would preserve the environment.
"The SVLK is in line with the principle of fair trade and green products, which we have been campaigning for until now," Amir affirmed.
With the SVLK, the exporters of timber products would face no legal barriers in international markets, mainly in Europe and Australia, he pointed out.
As many as 20 producers of timber products among the members of APIKRI, who already hold the SVLK, have enjoyed the facility of being able to enter the export market, he said.
The APIKRI has 470 companies engaged in the craft industry, 20 of which are producers of timber craft products, and all of them already hold the SVLK, he pointed out.
By adopting the SVLK scheme, the 20 companies had succeeded in exporting almost 90 percent of their production in 2015, worth Rp450 million per month, or an increase of 12 percent from 2014, he revealed.
Consistency in producing goods without causing damage to the environment would guarantee an increase in exports in the coming years, especially to Europe, which is particularly stringent in adopting the SVLK requirement, he added.(*)
Reporter: Andi Abdussalam
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
