The year 2016 marked an important milestone for Indonesia's timber export as it became the world's first country to export wood products licensed under the European Union's (EU) Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT). As the license entered into force on 15 November 2016, the first shipment of the FLEGT timber arrived at the port of Antwerp, 18 December 2017.
To celebrate this important milestone, the Embassy of Indonesia in Brussels, in collaboration with Altripan N.V and Fepco N.V, two Belgium's leading timber importers, held an event titled, "Celebrating Indonesia's FLEGT Timber Export to the European Union" at Altripan N.V headquarter in Antwerp, Wednesday, 18 January 2017. Attended by Federal Minister of Environment, Energy, and Sustainable Development Kingdom Belgium Marie- Christine Marghem and Director General for Environment European Commission, Daniel Calleja Crespo, the event was also participated by businesses and consumers from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, as well as representatives of environment NGOs, timber associations, local and competent authorities, and officials from EU institutions.
Minister Marghem personally congratulated Indonesia for being the first timber-producing country to have accomplished the FLEGT license. Further she recalled Indonesia to be the example for other countries currently negotiating the same agreement with the EU.
Indonesian Ambassador to Belgium Yuri Thamrin reiterated that with the license came into force, it is guaranteed that the Indonesia's timber trade is not only economically valuable, but also environmentally responsible. Further, Ambassador Thamrin hoped that the FLEGT licensing scheme can be used as a model of certification for other Indonesian commodities, such as palm oil.
To date, Indonesia supplies the EU with one-third of its tropical wood products, with Germany and the Netherlands the largest importers in the bloc. It is the EU's third largest wood exporter, sending a total of €485 million ($513 million) worth of wood products in 2015. With the FLEGT license, Indonesia hopes that the pact will help it double timber exports to the EU to the tune of USD 2 billion a year.
Source:
https://www.kemlu.go.id/brussels/en/berita-agenda/berita-perwakilan/Pages/Indonesia-FLEGT-licensed-Timber-Export-Arrived-Port-of-Antwerp-sustainability.aspx
18 January 2017