The European Union (EU) has confirmed that, beginning October 8, 2025, it will officially open its market to Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT)-licensed timber from Ghana.
This follows Ghana’s historic issuance of its first licenses earlier this month, making Ghana the first African nation and only the second country worldwide, after Indonesia, to attain this milestone under the EU’s FLEGT licensing scheme.
This achievement crowns a 16-year partnership between Ghana and the EU, initiated with the signing of a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) in 2009.
The agreement established Ghana’s timber legality assurance system, ensuring that timber exported to the EU is legally harvested, processed, and verified in line with national laws and international standards.
Ghana’s first set of FLEGT licenses, issued on August 15, 2025, signals the country’s readiness to supply the EU market with verified legal timber.
Licensed products will automatically comply with the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), which prohibits imports of illegally harvested timber into the EU.
Speaking at the 13th Joint Monitoring and Review Mechanism of the Ghana-EU FLEGT VPA, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah (MP), described the milestone as a “symbol of trust, integrity, and a national commitment to legally sourced timber.”
He emphasized that Ghana is committed to protecting its forests, upholding the rule of law, and positioning its timber as a premium global product.
EU Ambassador to Ghana, Irchad Razaaly, praised the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Forestry Commission for their commitment.
He noted that the achievement “marks a significant step in Ghana’s leadership in legal timber trade, combating illegal logging, and promoting sustainable forest governance.”
Source: Myxyzonline.com
