EU and Malaysia move to block illegal timber imports 

The delegation’s talks on a proposed EU Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT)  was the first time that the EU had negotiated on the legality of timber imports with a third country. European Commission Directorate-General International Affairs Director Soledad Blanco said: "This is a good move forward and it is very important. Hopefully, other timber exporting countries will follow Malaysia's example as it will address the global concerns of ascertaining that timber sources are from sustainable and approved sources."

Environmental groups say that the Malaysian forestry industry's clearing of natural habitats has damaged local biodiversity (see Links Dossier on Halting Bioidiversity Loss by 2010).

The Commission’s five-year(2007-2013) forestry action plan (see Links Dossier) aims to meet the challenges that globalisation poses for the European forestry industry, at the forefront of which are illegal logging and environmental degredation.

The EU's envoy to Malaysia, Thierry Rommel, told The Associated Press: "We have to have a foolproof system of legality agreements. A full accounting of the source of the tropical timber being used." He added that, currently, Malaysian timber exports amount to €800 million annually.

The next meeting will be held on 17 and 18 April 2007 in Brussels.