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Last updated 17th May 13

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This material has been funded by UKaid from the Department for International Development, with additional support from the European Forest Institute's EU FLEGT Facility. The EU FLEGT Facility is funded by the European Union, the Governments of Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, and the European Forest Institute. However the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the official policies and views of either DfID or EFI.

home _ Consumer Country Policy. _ EU FLEGT: Voluntary Par. _ Ghana VPA
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GHANA VPA


Ghana was the first country to conclude a FLEGT VPA with the EU. Negotiations on the agreement concluded in September 2008, the VPA was formally signed on 20 November 2009 and it was ratified on 19 March 2010.

For other news stories, documents and further information about Ghana, see the Ghana country page.


DOCUMENTS

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DATE TITLE AUTHOR
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12/11/2012 Forest Watch Special – VPA Update
Every six months, FERN produces an update looking at the present situation with regards the EU's ... 		FERN

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09/10/2012 Making the Forest Sector Transparent VPA Transparency Gap Assessment 2012
The Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) between the European Union (EU) and timber‐exporting ... 		Global Witness

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09/07/2012 Local Civil Society Organisations Join EU battle Against Illegal Logging
This briefing note looking at what has been achieved so far by FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreements ... 		FERN

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25/11/2011 EU Forest Watch Special - VPA Update November 2011
This briefing provides an update on VPA negotiations in individual countries. ... 		FERN (Saskia Ozinga, Nathalie Faure, Tom Lomax, Feja Lesniewska & Indra van Gisbergen)

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15/09/2011 ForestWatch Issue 163
In this issue:

* Ghana and Liberia undermining Voluntary Partnership Agreement implementation already?
* ... 		FERN

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17/05/2011 ForestWatch Issue 160 and FLEGT Update
In this issue:

* NGOs re-frame the sustainable biomass debate
* Road to ruin: Russian project destroying ... 		FERN

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09/02/2011 EFI EU FLEGT News, December/January/February 2010-2011
Bimonthly news on common efforts of the EU and its partner countries and institutions to combat illegal ... 		EFI (European Forest Institute)

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21/01/2011 ForestWatch Issue 156
Articles in this month's Forest Watch include:

* VPA processes see slow progression.
* Paralysis ... 		FERN

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01/07/2010 Timber Legality, Local Livelihoods and Social Safeguards: Implications of FLEGT/VPA in Ghana
Tropenbos International is assessing the potential effects of VPA implementation via a research project ... 		Tropenbos International

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01/07/2010 EU FLEGT News, June/July 2010
Bimonthly news on common efforts of the EU and its partner countries and institutions to combat illegal ... 		EFI (European Forest Institute)

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22/04/2010 EFI EU FLEGT News, April/May 2010
Bimonthly news on common efforts of the EU and its partner countries and institutions to combat illegal ... 		EFI (European Forest Institute)

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01/01/2010 Chainsaw Milling in Ghana: Context, Drivers and Impacts
In spite of being banned in 1998, chainsaw milling continues to be a major supplier of Ghana’s ... 		CSIR FORIG / Tropenbos International (Emmanuel Marfo)

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20/11/2009 Ghana – European Community FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement Briefing Note
Brief summary, explanation of background, and 'FAQ' on the EC-Ghana voluntary partnership ... 		European Commission Delegation to Ghana and VPA Secretariat, Forestry Commission Ghana

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20/11/2009 Ghana-EC Voluntary Partnership Agreement
Complete text, including annexes, of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) between the European Community ... 		European Community and Republic of Ghana

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30/06/2009 Ghana Gazette: FLEGT Special Edition
This is a special edition of the Ghana Gazette on developments on Ghana's FLEGT VPA. ... 		Ghana Forestry Commission

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01/01/2009 The EU's Policy with Respect to Imports of Illegally Harvested Timber and the Commission's Regulation on the Matter - An African perspective
Looks at the background to the EU's measures to control import of illegal timber, gives the history ... 		Forestry Commission of Ghana (Chris Beeko)

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20/10/2008 Cross-border flows of timber and wood products in West Africa
Recognizing that regional and cross-border timber trade may have important implications for the FLEGT ... 		European Commission

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01/10/2008 Promoting China's Engagement in Africa: Chinese forest delegation study tour to West and Central Africa
The overall intent of the 2008 study tour was to engage China, as a major consumer of African forest ... 		IUCN

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01/06/2008 Communique from Industry on EU-Ghana VPA
The Ghana timber industry accepts the objectives of VPA and considers it as an important mechanism to ... 		Ghana Timber Industry VPA Representatives

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01/06/2008 Communique from Civil Society on EU-Ghana VPA
Since December 2006, Ghana and the European Union have been negotiating a Voluntary Partnership Agreement. ... 		Ghana Civil Society Contact Group

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01/06/2008 Forest Governance Learning Group Update June 2008
This Update highlights the impacts and plans of the Forest Governance Learning Group in its country-based ... 		IIED

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06/09/2007 Implementing the EU FLEGT Action Plan: promoting good governance in the forest sector
Description of FERN project to support legal, institutional, and policy reform within the framework of ... 		FERN

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03/08/2007 Communique from civil society meeting on EU-Ghana VPA
Civil Society representatives from across Ghana met at the Institute of Local Government Studies, Accra, ... 		Ghana Institute of Local Government Studies

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15/06/2007 Notes from the second Ghana-European Commission VPA Negotiation Session
The second Ghana-European Commission negotiation session on a Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and ... 		Ghanaian Government and the European Commission

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01/04/2007 Ghana VPA Discussion Paper 2
Ghanas preparation for the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) commenced in May 2005 when a
multi-stakeholder ... 		Ghanian Ministry of Lands, Forestry & Mines

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21/12/2006 Joint Statement on a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) between Ghana and the European Community
This statement is jointly released by both parties to highlight progress to date and outline the next ... 		Ghanaian Government and the European Commission

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01/12/2006 Arborvitae Issue 32: The IUCN/WWF forest conservation newsletter
The focus of this issue of arbor vitae is illegal logging and forest governance. It contains informative ... 		IUCN and WWF

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01/06/2006 Forest Governance in Ghana: Recommendations for a VPA
One of a series looking at forest governance from an NGO perspective, other reports in this series cover ... 		FERN

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01/01/2006 Planned Research: Regional Trade Patterns – West and Central Africa
The aim of the study is to identify any potential trade distortions that might arise as a result of the ... 		DFID

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01/01/2006 Forest Governance Learning Group Update January 2006
Describes the group's activities, impacts and outputs over the last year and outlines the path ahead. ... 		FGLG

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01/12/2005 Ghana VPA Discussion Paper 1
This discussion paper is meant to stimulate thinking on the broader implications of the EU FLEGT Voluntary ... 		Ghanian Ministry of Lands, Forestry and Mines

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NEWS

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DATE TITLE AUTHOR
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03/04/2013 Ghana: FC drafts policy to rein in illegal wood in domestic market
The Forestry Commission (FC) of Ghana and Tropenbos International Ghana are jointly working together ... 		IHB

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29/12/2012 Forest Commission pledges fight against illegal logging
The Forestry Commission (FC) has pledged its commitment to continue the fight against illegal logging ... 		GhanaWeb

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09/10/2012 African timber exporting countries failing to meet access to information commitments
Lack of transparency threatens groundbreaking trade agreements with EU. ... 		Global Witness

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29/05/2012 Ghana: Illegal saw millers provide 80 percent of market demand
Kumasi — A national consultative workshop on the draft procurement policy on timber and timber ... 		allAfrica.com

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19/04/2012 Let’s step up the fight against illegal logging – Adu
An appeal has been made to stakeholders in the timber sector to act together to check illegal logging ... 		Vibe Ghana

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20/03/2012 Ghana and EU affirm commitment towards Voluntary Partnership Agreement
The Government of Ghana and the European Union (EU) have reaffirmed their commitment towards an effective ... 		GhanaWeb

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13/01/2012 Ghana: Forestry sector policy review underway
Ghana's Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources is currently reviewing one of the sector's ... 		allAfrica.com

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12/07/2011 Government signs Agreement to check illegal logging
Moves to check illegal logging have gone a step further with the signing of an agreement between FAO, ... 		Ghana Broadcasting Corporation

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13/05/2011 Laws on forest protection should be rigidly enforced - Consultant
Kumasi - Government has been urged to act more robustly to enforce laws on the protection and management ... 		Ghana News Agency

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10/05/2011 Efforts to tackle $10b illegal logging trade, Liberia, EU sign VPA after Ghana
The Liberian government has signed an agreement with the European Union (EU) to ensure that all timber ... 		Ghana Business News

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28/12/2010 Ghana: Second JMRM meeting on VPA convened
The second formal meeting on the Joint Monitoring and Review Mechanism (JMRM) of the Voluntary Partnership ... 		Fordaq, the Timber Network

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28/11/2010 Review forestry laws to ensure sanity
Participants at an international workshop on timber legality and local livelihoods, has called on the ... 		Peace FM Online, Ghana

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03/08/2010 EU Delegation commends progress on development of Wood Tracking System
The Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation in Ghana, Ambassador Claude Maerten, has commended the ... 		My Joy Online, Ghana

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17/07/2010 Africa looks to vast forests for carbon credit
Banco, Ivory Coast - They inhabit a polluted part of Ivory Coast’s main city with few jobs and ... 		Arab News

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15/07/2010 European Commissioner talks tough in fight against illegal logging
Andris Piebalgs promises to come down hard on member states that fail to adequately enforce illegal timber ... 		BusinessGreen.com

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01/07/2010 Ghana in the vanguard of new logging laws
London - New laws should be in place in Europe by the end of this year obliging timber importers to ensure ... 		Reuters AlertNet

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19/11/2009 Swedish EU Presidency - Government of Ghana and the EU sign a voluntary partnership agreement
On Friday 20 November, the Government of Ghana and the EU will sign a Voluntary Partnership Agreement ... 		ISRIA

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23/07/2009 The need to check deforestation in West Africa
Achieving long-term development in West Africa requires much more than just exploiting the region's ... 		Business Day, Nigeria

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17/07/2009 TIDD organises roundtable discussion on timber trade procedures
Takoradi - Mr Alhassan Attah, Executive Director of the Timber Industry Development Division (TIDD), ... 		Ghana News Agency

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20/05/2009 Forestry Commission appeals for sustainable timber industry
The Forestry Commission has appealed to Ghanaian timber producers and exporters to join hands and support ... 		The Statesman (Ghana)

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06/05/2009 FC appeals to timber industry players to support initiatives
The Forestry Commission (FC), has appealed to Ghanaian timber producers and exporters to join hands and ... 		GhanaWeb

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07/11/2008 Ghana: Locals hail EU pact to end illegal logging
Accra, Ghana - A long queue of trucks loaded with timber, freshly sawed from Ghana's fast-depleting ... 		IRIN

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23/09/2008 Ghana-EU Voluntary Partnership Agreement - What benefits?
Treaties, conventions and protocols governing international trade in specified commodities are becoming ... 		Graphic Online (Ghana)

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19/09/2008 EU-Ghana trade deal takes aim at illegal logging
The EU and Ghana clinched a deal last week aimed at reducing illegal timber harvesting in the forested ... 		Bridges Trade BioRes

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14/09/2008 Ghana achieves historic VPA first
Ghana has become the first country to sign a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) to prevent illegal ... 		Timber Trades Journal (UK)

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04/09/2008 Timber imports to be licensed to combat illegal logging
Timber imported to Europe from Ghana is to be certified in an attempt to stamp out illegal logging costing ... 		Telegraph (UK)

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04/09/2008 Ghana: Country, EU Sign Pact
The Minister of Lands Forestry and Mines, Mrs. Esther Obeng Dappah, has noted that Ghana, under the first ... 		AllAfrica.com

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03/09/2008 Ghana, EU sign trade deal on timber
Ghana and The European Union on Wednesday signed a groundbreaking trade agreement that would stop imports ... 		Joy Online (Ghana)

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14/08/2008 Ghana to sign agreement to protect forest resources
Accra, Ghana - Government will next month initial an agreement with the European Union (EU) to ensure ... 		GhanaWeb (Ghana)

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13/06/2008 Forest resources in danger - report
Ghana - Preliminary reports from the ongoing voluntary partnership agreement (VPA) negotiations on how ... 		Modern Ghana (Ghana)

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22/05/2008 The voluntary partnership agreement and Ghana
Ghana depends on its forest resources for economic, environmental and cultural benefits. Despite their ... 		Ghanian Times (Ghana)

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16/05/2008 Ghana: Government-EU Negotiation On Timber Trade Ends
The on-going round of negotiations in Accra between the government of Ghana and the EU aimed at establishing ... 		AllAfrica.com

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15/05/2008 Ghana and EU poised to formalize VPA
In June 2008, the European Union (EU) and Ghana will formalize a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) ... 		ITTO Tropical Timber Market Report (Japan)

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30/04/2008 EU-Ghana To Stem Illegal Timber Trade
Beginning from June this year, Ghana and the European Union (EU) will formalise a voluntary partnership ... 		Modern Ghana (Ghana)

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10/03/2008 FLEGT update from the EU Support Team
Cameroon, Ghana, Indonesia and Malaysia continue to negotiate Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs), ... 		CPET (UK)

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12/12/2007 Ghana: Country, Others Losing U.S.$10 Billion Through Illegal Logging
Ghana - Illegal logging has been identified as one area where the government and custodians of the country's ... 		AllAFrica.com

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02/10/2007 Ghana hopes for EU timber deal
Giant trucks thunder out of Ghana's tropical forests, loaded high with huge logs. ... 		BBC (UK)

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31/08/2007 VPA negotiations yield mixed progress
EU Forest Watch reported progress in the EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Voluntary ... 		ITTO Tropical Timber Market Report (Japan)

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30/04/2007 Ghana VPA process based on five deliverables
Ghana's preparations towards the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) process are based on a five-point ... 		ITTO Tropical Timber Market Report (Japan)

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31/03/2007 Ghana and EU hold first VPA meeting
The Lands, Forestry and Mines Ministry, Professor Dominic Fobih, said Ghana was determined to protect ... 		ITTO Tropical Timber Market Report (Japan)

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02/03/2007 Ghana and the EU hold the first round of negotiations on a FLEGT voluntary partnership agreement
Joint Ghana-European Union press release on forest law enforcement governance and trade (FLEGT). ... 		Ghanaian Government/European Commission

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22/02/2007 Ghana: Saving the Country's Forest
Ghana - Government and the Forestry Commission must be congratulated on their announcement of a November ... 		AllAfrica.com

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15/12/2006 Validation of Legal Timber Project set for completion
Ghana - Preparations for the Validation of Legal Timber Project (VLTP) and the competitive tendering ... 		ITTO Tropical Timber Market Report (Japan)

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25/07/2006 EU To Help Streamline Timber Industry
Ghana - The European Union (EU) is to support the government to streamline the operations of the timber ... 		Daily Graphic (Ghana)

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24/07/2006 "We will buy only legal timber"
Ghana - Mr. Gareth Thomas, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of Department for International Development ... 		Accra Daily Mail (Ghana)

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PRESENTATIONS

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DATE TITLE AUTHOR
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07/02/2013 VPA update Mathieu Bousquet

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05/07/2012 FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement update Giuliana Torta, European Commission

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05/07/2012 Crelicam: compliance challenges in Cameroon Anne Middleton, Crelicam/Taylor Guitars

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05/07/2012 Transparency commitments in VPAs – the implementation gap Kwame Kusi-Wiredu Asamadu, Rural Environmental Care Association, Ghana

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28/01/2011 Scenarios for implementing FLEGT/VPA programmes: the role of social safeguards Freerk Wiersum, Wageningen University, the Netherlands

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24/06/2010 An update on Ghana's VPA process - implementing a National Wood Tracking System Chris Beeko, Forestry Commission & Patrick Newton, Helveta

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20/01/2010 EU FLEGT Update Julia Falconer, European Commission

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24/06/2009 FLEGT VPA update Julia Falconer, European Commission

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19/01/2009 Overview of VPA negotiations and their challenges Philip Mikos, European Commission

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19/01/2009 Ghana's VPA process - lessons learned Chris Beeko, Ghana Forestry Commission

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17/01/2008 EU FLEGT Action Plan Update, January 2008 Julia Falconer, DG Development European Commission

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17/01/2008 Ghana's VPA Multi-Stakeholder Platform: Opportunities and Challenges Ghana Forestry Commission (Chris Beeko)

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17/01/2008 Ghana: Assessing the Impacts of a FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement James Mayers, IIED

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01/11/2007 FLEG in Africa and its potential relevance and its potential relevance for China IUCN Forest Programme (Guido Broekhoven)

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25/01/2007 The VPA - Ghana's process Ghana Forestry Commission (Alhassan Attah and Chris Beeko)

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20/07/2006 Ghana and the VPA Ghana Forestry Commission (Alhassan Attah)

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20/07/2006 EU FLEGT and forest reform in Ghana Ghana Forest Watch (Kyeretwie Opoku)

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EVENTS

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DATE TITLE
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Monday 17th January 2011 Bridging local and global interests: Integration of domestic timber markets in FLEGT/VPAs and REDD+
This seminar will discuss how to address domestic timber trade and timber-dependent livelihoods effectively ...

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Thursday 17th January 2008 Illegal Logging Update and Stakeholder Consultation Number 11
The eleventh in a series of update meetings coordinated by Chatham House and funded by DFID, the meeting ...

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Thursday 25th January 2007 Illegal Logging Update and Stakeholder Consultation Number 9
The ninth in a regular series of meetings coordinated by Chatham House and funded by DFID. The meeting ...

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Thursday 20th July 2006 Illegal Logging Update and Stakeholder Consultation Number 8
The eighth in a regular series of meetings coordinated by Chatham House and funded by DFID. The meeting ...

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Friday 7th October 2005 Tropical Forest Governance and Trade - Ghanian and UK Initiatives
The meeting aimed to share information about current understanding of the EU FLEGT Licensing scheme and ...

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ESSENTIAL ITEMS
20/11/2009
Ghana – European Community FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement Briefing Note

Brief summary, explanation of background, and 'FAQ' on the EC-Ghana voluntary partnership ...
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