Recommendation to consent to EU–Côte d’Ivoire FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement
Decision
The European Parliament adopted a legislative resolution giving its consent to the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (references COM(2023)0383, C9‑0035/2024; recommendation A9‑0136/2024) and instructed its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. The responsible committee recommended approval by 36 votes to none on 7.3.2024 and the Committee on Development issued an opinion on 7.12.2023.
What Changes
The consent enables the EU to conclude the VPA, which aims to ensure legality across the timber‑forestry sector and trade with the EU and to support improved forest governance in Côte d’Ivoire; the text builds on national reforms including the 2019 Forestry Code and earlier national programmes. The Committee on Development stressed that successful implementation will require sustained Ivorian commitment and strengthened EU assistance.
Who Is Affected
The agreement directly affects the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, EU institutions and operators in the timber and timber‑derived products trade, and stakeholders including government, civil society, the private sector, indigenous peoples and local communities involved in forestry.
Sources
Official Documents
- RECOMMENDATION on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and timber products to the European Union (FLEGT) The Parliament gives consent to conclude the EU–Côte d’Ivoire FLEGT VPA and directs transmission of its position to the Council, Commission, and Côte d’Ivoire.
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