On the draft Council decision on the termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement governance and trade in timber and derived products to the Union
DEVE-PA-771837
Committee on Development · Rapporteur: Ana Miranda Paz
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The draft opinion recommends approving the termination of the EU-Cameroon Voluntary Partnership Agreement on timber trade, citing Cameroon's failure to implement key measures like the FLEGT licensing scheme and weak law enforcement.¶¶¶ It suggests that future cooperation should support Cameroon in aligning with the EU Deforestation Regulation and that any future Forest Partnerships should involve the Parliament and inclusive processes.¶¶
Committee position. The Committee on Development calls on the Committee on International Trade to recommend approval of the draft Council decision to terminate the VPA.¶
Key points
- The VPA entered into force on 1 December 2011 and is tacitly renewable; the current period expires on 30 November 2025.¶
- Cameroon has lost 900,000 hectares of forest cover (5%) between 2011 and 2022, with drivers including agriculture, logging, extractive activities, and infrastructure.¶
- The Cameroonian government failed to implement key VPA measures, including the FLEGT licensing scheme and legality verification and traceability systems.¶
- Law enforcement remains weak due to lack of resources and corruption, though some improvements since 2020 are noted.
- In 2021, 59% of Cameroon's timber exports went to China and Vietnam, compared to 38% to the EU; for logs, 98% went to those Asian markets.¶
- A 2020 investigation found widespread violations in the illegal timber trade between Cameroon and Vietnam.
- The situation damages the EU's credibility as a global leader in forest protection and related areas.¶
- Future Forest Partnerships should be established with full Parliament involvement and inclusive processes engaging small-scale farmers, civil society, local communities, and indigenous people.¶
- If the VPA is terminated, EU cooperation should shift toward supporting Cameroon in implementing measures aligned with the upcoming EU Deforestation Regulation.¶
Who is affected
- Cameroon: termination of the VPA affects its timber trade with the EU, shifting cooperation toward deforestation regulation alignment.¶
- EU institutions: Parliament involvement in future Forest Partnerships is recommended.¶
- Small-scale farmers, civil society, local communities, and indigenous people in Cameroon: should be engaged in future partnerships.