IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) between the EU and timber-exporting countries are a central element of the EU FLEGT Action Plan to support forest sector reforms and prevent illegal timber and timber products from entering the EU market. The EU’s emphasis on the participation of multiple stakeholders in VPA negotiation processes and associated policy and legal reforms has provided an entry point for IUCN to take on an important role facilitating and otherwise supporting official VPA processes in a number of countries. IUCN is currently involved in forest governance work specifically related to VPA processes in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and Vietnam.

Download an article from the IUCN Regional Office for Europe Newsletter, “Voluntary Partnership Agreements: More than Solving Europe’s Conscience”.

To read more about IUCN’s work supporting VPA negotiation processes, click here.