PASSAD Project

WHY THIS PROJECT?

On February 19, 2024, the European Union and Côte d'Ivoire signed the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA-FLEGT) aimed at ensuring the legality of timber and timber products exported to the EU, promoting sustainable trade, and strengthening forest governance. The agreement also provides for legal reforms, awareness-raising and dissemination of legal texts, as well as support for independent monitoring by civil society.

Its implementation is based on bilateral, joint, and national structures with multi-stakeholder composition, ensuring the inclusion of different stakeholders and promoting the role of women and girls in forest governance.

To operationalize the agreement, the active participation of all actors—government, private sector, and civil society—is essential. A multi-year implementation plan, developed in a participatory manner with the support of the European Union, will be rolled out. Within this framework, the PASSAD-Forêts project, through its “Support for the implementation of the FLEGT-VPA” component, supports stakeholders through grant and service contracts in order to facilitate and effectively support the implementation of the agreement. A service contract has therefore been signed between EFI and ATIBT to support the private sector in implementing the FLEGT VPA for a sustainable timber industry.

Expected results & role of ATIBT

Result 1: Frameworks and tools for implementing the FLEGT VPA are developed and operationalized

ATIBT plays a central role in the implementation of the FLEGT VPA in Côte d'Ivoire, serving as an interface between forestry companies, national structures, and European institutions. It supports the private sector's participation in the work of the CCMO, CNGF, and SLFT, which are responsible for steering and monitoring the SVL.

As part of the development and operationalization of the LAS, ATIBT supports forestry companies by capitalizing on experience, participating in working groups, sharing international best practices, and offering training and technical support to exporters to ensure compliance with the EUTR. It also promotes the integration of private certifications and ensures that the VPA tools are operational before the launch of FLEGT licenses.

ATIBT supports the private sector during independent audits and assessments of the LAS, contributes to the development of terms of reference, and assists with the collection and processing of monitoring data, thereby strengthening compliance with LAS requirements and European standards. It also participates in the development of procedures for issuing FLEGT licenses, in paper or electronic form, to ensure that the process reflects the requirements of the LAS and the needs of operators.

Finally, ATIBT supports the private sector in transparency and communication activities relating to the FLEGT VPA, by supporting its participation in the GTTC, contributing to the VPA's communication strategy and annual report, and strengthening its capacity to collect, compile, and publish the forestry information specified in Annex IX.

Result 2: Forest governance and the production and management capacities of a sustainable forestry sector are strengthened

ATIBT plays a key role in supporting the private sector in implementing the FLEGT VPA and strengthening forest governance. It assists companies with legal and regulatory reforms by participating in the Legal Working Group (LWG), centralizing field requirements, contributing to recommendations, and facilitating the dissemination of legal frameworks.

It also supports gender mainstreaming by supporting the private sector in the Gender Working Group (GTG), contributing to strategies and action plans, strengthening the representation of women, conducting awareness campaigns, and supporting follow-up surveys on their role in the forestry sector.

ATIBT facilitates awareness-raising and dissemination of the legal framework by informing companies about their regulatory obligations and ongoing reforms, and by providing simplified regulatory texts and educational materials.

Finally, it supports companies in their transition to the new sustainable management regime, ensuring their compliance with the SVL and international standards in order to secure their participation in the legal and sustainable supply chain.

TARGETS
The project concerns all private sector actors in the forestry and timber industry, whether they are
loggers subject to FLEGT authorization.