Hanoi (VNA) – Experts have discussed promotinglegal timber products in public procurement in Vietnam at a conference in Hanoion June 19.
Attendees talked about practices and challenges inimplementing the Voluntary partnership agreement between the European Union(EU) and Vietnam on Forest law enforcement, governance and trade (VPA/FLEGT).
Director of the WTO Centre and Integration underthe Chamber of Commerce and Industry Nguyen Thi Thu Trang said the Governmenthas paid special attention to the wood sector in recent years.
After six months of negotiations, the Governmentand the EU signed the VPA/FLEGT, which took effect on June 1, 2019.
The agreement focuses on eliminating illegalwood from the supply chains, including timber products for export and domesticconsumption.
According to Trang, annual expenditure forgovernment procurement accounts for about 20-30 percent of the State budget, ofwhich a large amount is spent on timber products. However, there are nostatistics available at present on timber-related public procurement.
Ensuring only legal timber is bought under government procurement is importantto promote the enforcement of the VPA/FLEGT in the country, she said.
Sheproposed adding the condition on the legality of goods and services in publicprocurement.
To Xuan Phuc, Southeast Asia analyst for the Forest Trade andFinance Programme, said the signing of the VPA/FLEFG marked the dual role ofthe Government as both the promulgator of regulations to ensure the legality oftimber products, and the beneficiary of wood products within the framework ofpublic procurement activities.
Vietnam exports timber products to 120countries and territories, including the EU, the US, Japan, China, the Republicof Korea and Australia. In 2018, Vietnam’s exports of wood and timber productsreached a record value of 9.3 billion USD, 900 million USD of which was to EUmarkets. -VNA
Countries joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) are potential markets for Vietnamese wood firms, said Nguyen Ton Quyen, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Timber and Forest Products Association.
The Vietnam Administration of Forestry (VNForest) launched an action plan on April 3 for communications to implement the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade (VPA/FLEGT) between Vietnam and the European Union (EU).
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At the conference (Photo: VNA) 
