The EU and a number of timber-exporting countries have negotiated Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPA). The VPAs define the systems with which the legal compliance of timber products can be verified.
When VPA is concluded and the third country has initiated FLEGT-licensing, a FLEGT-licence issued by origin country authorities is required at a time of clearing goods to the EU market.
Indonesia has started FLEGT-licensing (situation in April 2022). Other countries preparing to initiate licensing can be found in EU FLEGT Facility pages.
The FLEGT licence guarantees the legal production of products
The VPA countries issue FLEGT licences (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) to, for example, wooden furniture, flooring, plywood, wood-based pulp and paper. The licence verifies that the products have been produced in compliance with the legislation. Specified products and their harmonized system codes (HS codes) are defined in the country-specific VPA agreements. Consignment-specific licences are issued to the export company and should be attached to export and customs clearance documents.
Products that have been issued a FLEGT licence meet the requirements of the EU Timber Regulation. The purpose of the system is to reduce illegal logging and trading of illegal timber products in the VPA countries. In addition, the system aims at fostering sustainable development in the contractual country and promoting its forest administration.
The Finnish Food Authority inspects the licences of FLEGT products imported to the EU through Finland prior to the consignment’s customs clearance and release for free circulation.
Instructions
The European Commission has produced an electric system for FLEGT licence processing. The system operates on the “TRACES” platform which requires user registration prior to the first time of use.
Operating instructions for importers/forwarding companies in a nutshell:
Note! Changes are coming to the guidelines below. Currently (2/2022) e-licensing is on a pilot-phase. Email about e-licensing has been sent to FLEGT-customers. If you have not received it, please contact tuovi@ruokavirasto.fi The instructions below are also valid during the pilot-phase.
- Follow the “FLEGT User Guide” instructions and register as a user. Link to the User Guide in the Commission’s website.
- Pay the licence processing fee in accordance with the instructions (payment instructions).
- Enter the details of the FLEGT licence in TRACES.
- Send the original FLEGT licence (Note! The cover page of the licence, “original”), accompanied by a possible attachment for the licence, the contact information form and a payment receipt, to the Finnish Food Authority (contact information form).
Postal Address: Finnish Food Authority/FLEGT licences P.O box 100, FI-00027 FINNISH FOOD AUTHORITY. If you need to use an express, please send to Alvar Aallon katu 5, 60100 Seinäjoki. - Complete the customs clearance process. Customs will receive information on the accepted licences directly from the Finnish Food Authority.
*Note! The registering company must have an EORI number. To receive the EORI number, see the Customs’ EORI website. After receiving the EORI number, send an e-mail message to confirm the user role at tuovi(at)ruokavirasto.fi. Please note that the sender of the e-mail must be an authorised signatory of the company. If you don´t have a right to sign, fill in the proxy here.
Significant factors in licence processing include the product volume and weight covered by the licence. In particular, if a shipment contains both timber products and other products, the commercial invoice or the packing list should include an itemisation of the product volumes and weights. Mark the volumes and weights accurately.
Please ensure that you submit the licences for processing well in advance of the shipment’s arrival in Finland. The licence must be approved before customs clearance.
For further information on the FLEGT licensing scheme and the EU Timber Regulation, see the FAQs published by the European Commission in cooperation with the EFI at: http://www.euflegt.efi.int/web/flegt-licence/faq
Further information:
tuovi(at)ruokavirasto.fi