INHALT

Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Honduras on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union

VOLUNTARY PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE REPUBLIC OF HONDURAS ON FOREST LAW ENFORCEMENT, GOVERNANCE AND TRADE IN TIMBER PRODUCTS TO THE EUROPEAN UNION
ARTICLE 1
Objective
ARTICLE 2
Definitions
ARTICLE 3
FLEGT licensing scheme
ARTICLE 4
Licensing authority
ARTICLE 5
Competent authorities of the Union
ARTICLE 6
FLEGT licences
ARTICLE 7
Definition of legally produced timber
ARTICLE 8
Verifying the legality of the timber produced or acquired
ARTICLE 9
Release for free circulation of shipments covered by a FLEGT licence
ARTICLE 10
Independent auditor
ARTICLE 11
Irregularities
ARTICLE 12
Start date for the implementation of the FLEGT licensing scheme
ARTICLE 13
Application of the FLEGT licensing scheme to timber products not exported to the Union
ARTICLE 14
Schedule for implementation of this Agreement
ARTICLE 15
Supplementary and support measures
ARTICLE 16
Stakeholder involvement in the implementation of this Agreement
ARTICLE 17
Social safeguards
ARTICLE 18
Market incentives
ARTICLE 19
Joint Implementation Committee
ARTICLE 20
Transparency and access to public information
ARTICLE 21
Communication on the implementation of this Agreement
ARTICLE 22
Confidential information
ARTICLE 23
Territorial application
ARTICLE 24
Settlement of disputes
ARTICLE 25
Suspension
ARTICLE 26
Amendments
ARTICLE 27
Duration
ARTICLE 28
Termination of this Agreement
ARTICLE 29
Annexes
ARTICLE 30
Authentic texts
ARTICLE 31
Entry into force
ANNEXES
ANNEX I
LIST OF TIMBER PRODUCTS COVERED BY THE FLEGT LICENSING SCHEME
ANNEX II
HONDURAN LEGALITY MATRICES
1. Principles
2. Considerations for verifying legality
3. Sources of timber
4. Changes to the regulatory, organisational and institutional framework of Honduras
LEGALITY MATRICES
Appendices
ANNEX III
CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE RELEASE FOR FREE CIRCULATION IN THE UNION OF TIMBER PRODUCTS EXPORTED FROM HONDURAS AND COVERED BY A FLEGT LICENCE
FRAMEWORK
ARTICLE 1
Processing of FLEGT licences
ARTICLE 2
Checks on validity of FLEGT licence documentation
ARTICLE 3
Request for additional information
ARTICLE 4
Verification of the conformity of the FLEGT licence with the consignment
ARTICLE 5
Verification prior to the arrival of the consignment
ARTICLE 6
Other matters
ARTICLE 7
Release for free circulation
ANNEX IV
PROCEDURE FOR ISSUING FLEGT LICENCES
ARTICLE 1
General requirements for FLEGT licences
ARTICLE 2
Responsibility of the FLEGT licensing authority
ARTICLE 3
Procedure for issuing FLEGT licences
ARTICLE 4
Technical specifications for FLEGT licences in paper form
ARTICLE 5
Format for issuing FLEGT licences
ARTICLE 6
Copies of the FLEGT licence
ARTICLE 7
Validity, withdrawal and replacement of the FLEGT licence
ARTICLE 8
Management of infringements relating to the issuing of FLEGT licences
ARTICLE 9
Doubts about the validity and authenticity of a FLEGT licence
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE FORM
ANNEX V
HONDURAN LEGALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM FOR TIMBER PRODUCTS (LAS)
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. General context
1.2. Objective of the Honduran Legality Assurance System for Timber Products (LAS)
1.3. New tools and elements for the improvement of forestry management.
2. HONDURAN LEGAL FRAMEWORK APPLICABLE TO THE LAS
2.1. International conventions and treaties
2.2. Regional conventions and treaties
2.3. National legislation on the sustainable management of natural resources
2.4. National legislation on labour matters
2.5. National legislation on the payment of state and municipal taxes for the export of timber products
2.6. National legislation on administrative procedures, transparency mechanisms and public participation
2.7. National legislation applied by the judicial officers
3. ELEMENTS OF THE LAS
3.1. Definition of legality
3.2. Verification of compliance with the legality definition
3.3. Supply-chain controls
3.4. FLEGT and H-Legal licensing process
3.5. Independent auditing
4. INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK AND ROLE OF ACTORS INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LAS
4.1. Actors involved in the implementation of the LAS
4.2. State institutions
4.2.1. National Institute for Forest Conservation and Development, Protected Areas and Wildlife (ICF)
4.2.2. Revenue Administration Service (SAR)
4.2.3. Municipalities
4.2.4. Institute of Property (IP)
4.2.5. Ministry of Employment and Social Security (STSS)
4.2.6. Honduran Institute of Social Security (IHSS)
4.2.7. Ministry of Energy, Natural Resources, Environment and Mines (MiAmbiente)
4.2.8. National Agrarian Institute (INA)
4.2.9. Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG)
4.2.10. Customs Revenue Subdirectorate (DARA)
4.2.11. Government institutions indirectly involved
4.2.11.1. National Preventive Police (PNP)
4.2.11.2. Public Prosecutor's Office (MP)
4.2.11.3. Attorney-General's Office (PGR)
4.2.11.4. Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ)
4.2.11.5. Honduran armed forces (FFAA)
4.2.11.6. National Directorate of Indigenous and Afro-Honduran Peoples (DINAFROH)
4.2.11.7. Institute for Access to Public Information (IAIP)
4.2.11.8. National Commission on Human Rights (CONADEH)
4.2.11.9. National Research System for Forests, Protected Areas and Wildlife (SINFOR)
4.3. Private forestry sector
4.4. Civil society organisations
4.4.1. Local organisations
4.4.2. Non-governmental development organisations
4.5. Indigenous and Afro-descendant Peoples of Honduras
4.6. Capacity-building
5. COVERAGE/SCOPE OF THE LAS
5.1. Timber products included in the LAS
5.2. Markets covered by the LAS
5.3. Sources of timber covered by the LAS
5.3.1. Timber harvested on the national territory
5.3.2. Imported wood
5.3.3. Timber not covered by the LAS
5.4. Scope of operators included in the LAS
6. VERIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE LEGALITY DEFINITION
6.1. Legality verification principles
6.1.1. Institutions involved in legality verification
6.1.2. Verification procedures based on the Legality Matrices
6.1.3. Storage of the means of verifying legality
6.1.4. Information systems and verification functionalities
6.1.5. Risk management principle in case of non-compliance with the LAS
6.1.6. Legality audit resulting in a legal compliance certificate
6.2. Obligation of operators with regard to legality verification
7. VERIFICATION OF THE TIMBER AND TIMBER PRODUCT SUPPLY CHAIN
7.1. Principles of supply-chain verification
7.2. Identification of timber products
7.3. Declaration of supply chain information by operators
7.4. Verification of imported timber products
7.5. Verification of timber products in transit
7.6. Verification of confiscated timber products
7.7. Verification of timber products sourced from land subject to a change in use
8. RECOGNITION OF PRIVATE CERTIFICATION
9. HANDLING OF CASES OF NON-COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAS
10. MECHANISMS FOR HANDLING COMPLAINTS
10.1. Introduction
10.2. Objectives
10.3. Types of complaint-handling mechanism
10.4. Establishment of the complaint-handling mechanisms and governing principles
11. CONSULTATION, PARTICIPATION AND COORDINATION MECHANISMS CONCERNING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LAS
11.1. Joint Implementation Committee (JIC)
11.2. Technical Committee
11.3. Interinstitutional Secretariat for the Implementation of the FLEGT-VPA (SIIAVA)
11.4. National Strategy for the Control of Illegal Logging and Transport of Forest Products (ENCTI) and its links to this Agreement
12. INCENTIVE, PROMOTIONAL, SAFEGUARD AND MITIGATION MEASURES DESIGNED TO INVOLVE THE SECTOR'S VARIOUS ACTORS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LAS
Appendix 1
Links in the supply chain (pine forest)
Appendix 2
Links in the supply chain (broadleaved forest)
ANNEX VI
INDEPENDENT AUDIT
1. INTRODUCTION
2. OBJECTIVES
3. TASKS
4. METHODOLOGY: METHODS FOR GATHERING AND ASSESSING INFORMATION AND REPORTING
4.1. Work schedule
4.2. Scope of work
4.3. Evidence gathering
4.4. Evaluation
4.5. Audit systems
5. REPORTS AND DISSEMINATION
5.1. The independent audit body will draw up its reports in accordance with the format and protocol agreed with the JIC. It must:
5.2. Reports approved by the JIC will be considered public documents and must be published on the Parties' webpages.
6. SOURCES OF INFORMATION
6.1. Government of Honduras and bodies appointed by the Government
6.2. Civil society, local communities and Indigenous and Afro-descendant Peoples of Honduras
6.3. Other sources
7. QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED
8. SELECTION PROCESS AND INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
9. OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES
9.1. Accessibility
9.2. Capacity-building and sustainability
ANNEX VII
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING THE HONDURAN LEGALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM FOR TIMBER PRODUCTS (LAS)
SECTION 1
DEFINITION OF LEGALITY
SECTION 2
SUPPLY-CHAIN CONTROLS
2.1. Harvesting rights
2.2. Systems for checking the supply chain
2.3. Quantities
2.4. Reconciliation
2.5. Mixing of legally verified timber with other authorised timber:
2.6. Imported timber products
SECTION 3
VERIFICATION
3.1. Organisation
3.2. Verification of legality
3.3. Legal Compliance Certificate
3.3.1. Organisation
3.3.2. Issuing of legal compliance certificates
3.4. Verification of systems for controlling the supply chain
3.5. Recognition of voluntary certification systems
3.6. Cases of non-compliance
3.7. Mechanisms for handling complaints
SECTION 4
FLEGT LICENCES
4.1. Organisation
4.2. Issuing of FLEGT licences
4.3. FLEGT consignment-based licences
4.4. Queries on issued FLEGT licences
SECTION 5
INSTRUCTIONS ON THE INDEPENDENT AUDITING OF THE LAS
5.1. Institutional arrangements
5.2. Organisation acting as the independent auditor of the LAS
ANNEX VIII
SUPPLEMENTARY AND SUPPORT MEASURES
INTRODUCTION
1. STEPPING UP COORDINATION BETWEEN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AND OTHER ACTORS LINKED TO THIS AGREEMENT
2. CAPACITY BUILDING
3. STRATEGIC ACTIONS
4. STUDIES
5. LEGAL INSTRUMENTS
6. FUNDING MECHANISMS FOR SUPPLEMENTARY AND SUPPORT MEASURES
ANNEX IX
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESS TO PUBLIC INFORMATION
1. INTRODUCTION
2. OBJECTIVES
3. BACKGROUND
4. INFORMATION TO BE PUBLISHED
5. DISSEMINATION MECHANISMS
6. INFORMATION FROM OTHER STAKEHOLDERS
ANNEX X
JOINT IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE