FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) is a European Union initiative to combat illegal logging and trade in illegally harvested timber.
Illegal logging in the world’s forests is a global problem that can have adverse effects on the environment. To combat this phenomenon, the European Union has established the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licensing scheme.
To support and strengthen sustainable forest management and the multifunctional role of forests, the European Union Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) was published in 2003. It sets out measures by which the Member States of the European Union can combat illegal logging in the world’s forests.
In line with this Action Plan, the following acts were adopted:
- Council Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005 of 20 December 2005 on the establishment of a FLEGT licensing scheme for imports of timber into the European Community (FLEGT Regulation)
- Commission Regulation (EC) No 1024/2008 of 17 October 2008 laying down detailed measures for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005 on the establishment of a FLEGT licensing scheme for imports of timber into the European Community
These acts established the FLEGT licensing scheme for imports of timber and timber products into the European Union.
What is the FLEGT licensing scheme
The FLEGT licensing scheme is a control system for certain timber products exported from countries that have concluded Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) with the European Union.
Timber products exported from these countries must be accompanied by a FLEGT licence issued by the partner country, which certifies that:
- the timber is legal
- the timber products have been made from legally harvested domestic timber, or
- the timber products have been made from timber legally harvested in a third country and imported into the partner country in accordance with its national legislation
The FLEGT licensing scheme is currently fully operational for shipments of timber and timber products from Indonesia.
To ensure the effectiveness of the FLEGT licensing scheme, customs offices release timber products for free circulation only after the FLEGT licence lodged with the competent authority of the Member State has been accepted.
FLEGIT system
To streamline and improve customs operations, on 1 January 2020 Lithuanian Customs began using the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade electronic system FLEGIT-TRACES (FLEGIT system), designed for the electronic lodgement and processing of FLEGT licences.
Pursuant to Resolution No 767 of 2 August 2006 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania “On the designation of the authority responsible for the implementation of the FLEGT licensing scheme”, the Customs Department has been designated as the competent authority in the Republic of Lithuania; FLEGT licences for timber or timber products shipped from Indonesia must be lodged with it.
Since 1 March 2020, FLEGT licences in Lithuania have been lodged only electronically via the FLEGIT-TRACES system, except in the event of a system failure.
The procedure for accessing the FLEGIT system is laid down in Order No 1B-1195 of 17 December 2019 of the Director General of the Customs Department under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania “On the use of the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade electronic system (FLEGIT-TRACES)”.
When a FLEGT licence is not required
A FLEGT licence is not required for:
- timber products of species listed in Annexes A, B and C to Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97
- imported timber products of a non-commercial nature
Principles for using the FLEGIT system
A timber importer intending to import timber products listed in Annexes II and III to the FLEGT Regulation must upload a scanned copy of the FLEGT licence to the system and enter its data before lodging (or at the time of lodging) the customs declaration for release for free circulation.
To ensure the effectiveness of the FLEGT licensing scheme and in accordance with Order No 1B-1196 of 17 December 2019 of the Director General of the Customs Department under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania “On the approval of the Rules for the implementation of the FLEGT licensing scheme for imports of timber into the European Union”, the competent authority assesses whether the electronically lodged FLEGT licence meets the requirements laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1024/2008 and decides whether or not to accept the licence.
Once the competent authority has accepted the FLEGT licence, the customs officer checks during customs control that the data of the lodged FLEGT licence, which is entered in the customs declaration under document code “C690”, match the data of the import declaration. If no discrepancies are found, the goods are released for free circulation.
Legal basis
- Council Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005 of 20 December 2005 on the establishment of a FLEGT licensing scheme for imports of timber into the European Community
- Commission Regulation (EC) No 1024/2008 of 17 October 2008 laying down detailed measures for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005
- Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 of 9 December 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein
- Resolution No 767 of 2 August 2006 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania “On the designation of the authority responsible for the implementation of the requirements of the FLEGT licensing scheme”
- Order No 1B-1195 of 17 December 2019 of the Director General of the Customs Department under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania “On the use of the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade electronic system (FLEGIT-TRACES)”
- Order No 1B-1196 of 17 December 2019 of the Director General of the Customs Department under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania “On the approval of the Rules for the implementation of the FLEGT licensing scheme for imports of timber into the European Union”
More detailed information on the application of the FLEGT scheme is provided in the guidance prepared by the European Commission: