Media reaction

Ghana & EU announce new licences aimed at tackling illegal logging and exports

8 November 2024

Ghana and the EU have signed a deal that will make Ghana the first African country – and only the second in the world - to issue Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licences, which are aimed at ensuring the legality and sustainability of Ghana’s timber industry.

The deal, signed this week, is part of the FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement, a trade agreement signed in 2009 between Ghana and the EU, in which Ghana committed to improving its forest governance and timber resource management systems in exchange for facilitated access for its timber to the EU market.

Both countries agreed Ghana has completed the all the necessary steps to be considered ready to issue ‘FLEGT licences’, which should go live in June 2025.

ClientEarth’s Law & Policy Advisor, Raphaelle Godts said:

“Ghana will be the first African country to issue FLEGT licences. This is a fantastic achievement, and our congratulations go to everyone involved, particularly Ghanaian civil society, who have worked for more than 15 years to get to this stage.

“Ghana’s forest governance reforms mean that timber products with FLEGT licences will automatically meet the requirements of the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) and later the legality requirement of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), set to replace the EUTR, which prohibit EU companies from bringing illegally harvested timber on the EU market.

“As a result, forest governance in Ghana will be more transparent and accountable, and the sustainable management of its forest resources will also mean benefit sharing mechanisms for forest communities, who depend on the forests for their livelihoods.”

Doreen Asumang-Yeboah, Director of Rights and Advocacy Initiatives Network (RAIN) said:

"Ghana's readiness to issue a FLEGT licence marks a significant milestone in the commitment to good forest governance. Although it has been a long process, we are happy about its inclusiveness, robustness and importantly the trust built among government, private sector and civil society over the years. As we go live in June 2025, civil society will not relent on our efforts but continue to play the watch-dog role so that  the system delivers the ecological, economic and social benefits it stands for especially to our forest fringe communities."

ENDS

Notes to editors:
About RAIN

Rights and Advocacy Initiatives Network (RAIN), was founded in 2019 by experts with background in natural resource management, human rights advocacy and development. The purpose of establishing RAIN is to employ expertise in relevant fields to address challenges within agriculture and environmental sector in Ghana, and contribute to the global agenda of environmental sustainability and human development.

About ClientEarth

ClientEarth is a non-profit organisation that uses the law to create systemic change that protects the Earth for – and with – its inhabitants. We are tackling climate change, protecting nature and stopping pollution, with partners and citizens around the globe. We hold industry and governments to account, and defend everyone’s right to a healthy world. From our offices in Europe, Asia and the USA we shape, implement and enforce the law, to build a future for our planet in which people and nature can thrive together.