Forest Products: Trade Policy Highlights


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	FOREST PRODUCTS TRADE POLICY HIGHLIGHTS - JANUARY 2006
	European Union Adopts Regulation Permitting Timber Import Licensing and Voluntary Partnership Agreements for Forest Products
	On December 20, 2005, the European Commission adopted regulation (EC 2173/2005) permitting the establishment of Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licensing schemes for imports of timber into the European Community. FLEGT licensing schemes are to permit the issuance of licenses for timber products for export to the European Community from partner countries. The regulation also permits voluntary Partnership Agreements to formalize the FLEGT license schemes between voluntary partner countries and the European Union. Once voluntary Partnership Agreements are signed between the European Union and partner countries, imports into the European Community of timber products exported from those partner countries shall be prohibited unless the shipment is covered by a FLEGT license. The European Commission has not yet started formal negotiations on voluntary partnership agreements, but initial discussions have taken place with Ghana, Gabon, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo-Brazzaville, Malaysia and Indonesia. For more information please refer to the incoming USDA GAIN Report E36004 and the European Commission regulation.

	Japan Solicits Public Comments on JAS Lumber Standard
	The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) is currently accepting public comments until January 31, 2006 on various changes to the Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS) for lumber. One major change is the combination of the present seven lumber categories into one group. An explanatory meeting to discuss the changes will be held on January 18, 2006, in Japan. For further details on these changes please refer to USDA GAIN Report JA6001, dated January 11, 2006. For information on this announcement, please contact Valerie Ralph at 202-720-1001.