Attending were Mr. Pham Van Dien - Deputy General Director of Vietnam Administration of Forestry - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; Mr. Cao Chi Cong - Vice Chairman of Vietnam Timber & Forest Products Association; leaders of some departments, committees and branches of Binh Duong province; Representative of the Delegation of the European Union (EU), Ambassadors of some European countries in Vietnam; German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ); representatives of international organizations, Timber and Business Associations, Research institutes, universities.
Overview of the Forum
In the process of world economic integration, participation in free trade agreements has created important opportunities for each country, region, and locality can take advantage to maximize their potential and advantages in participating in value chains. Among the trade agreements that Vietnam participates in, the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (VPA/FLEGT) has created a great position for Vietnam when participating in the global timber market and value chain. The Agreement was ratified by the EU on April 15, 2019 and approved by the Government of Vietnam on April 23, 2019 in Resolution No. 25/NQ-CP and took effect from June 01, 2019. With 27 Articles and 9 Technical Annexes, the Agreement provides legally binding provisions to improve forest governance, promote trade in timber and legal timber products exported from Vietnam after the EU market.
The signing of the Agreement affirms the efforts and shows Vietnam's serious attitude in implementing international conventions in general, creating opportunities to apply high technology to the processing industry, creating more beautiful, higher-value wood products, etc.
At the Forum, state management agencies, enterprises, and scientists at home and abroad together exchanged, approached, and clarified more international regulations, shared solutions and initiatives to effectively implement the legal timber value chains in the timber industry.
Mr. Pham Van Dien (3rd from left) - Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Administration of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shares at the Forum
Mr. Pham Van Dien - Deputy Director of the Vietnam Administration of Forestry said that the export turnover of wood and wood products in 2021 reached nearly 15 billion USD, making Vietnam the 2nd largest wood exporter in Asia and the 5th in the world. Vietnam is striving to become one of the world's leading export wood processing centers. According to forecasts, by 2030, the total export turnover of Vietnam's wood processing industry is estimated at 25 billion USD. To achieve this goal, Mr. Dien said that the wood industry needs to create value chains from the supply of input materials to the export stage. Building and operating Vietnam's legal timber assurance system in line with international commitments and agreements, thereby ensuring that 100% of wood materials used in the entire value chains are legal.
Mr. Rui Ludovino - First Counselor of the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Vietnam speaks at the Forum
Mr. Oemar Idoe - Manager of GIZ projects on environment, climate change and agriculture in Vietnam shared: "We need to work to create an environment that promotes good forest governance so that timber traceability and sustainable trade in the implementation of the accountability system and compliance with Vietnamese and international regulations are facilitated. To meet this requirement, sufficient resources are needed to develop and maintain the IT infrastructure and strengthen the necessary capacities. Incorporating digitization into one of the regular national budget lines is key to ensuring the monitoring of timber trade and law enforcement, etc.".
Mr. Pham Van Bong - Director of Binh Duong Department of Agriculture and Rural Development speaks at the Forum
Mr. Pham Van Bong - Director of Binh Duong Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said that in the development process of the province, the wood production and processing industry has contributed greatly to the province's GRDP rate, enterprises have actively taken advantage of opportunities from free trade agreements, wood processing products in Binh Duong province are exported to many markets, having competitive advantages.
However, in the current period after being heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and complicated movements of the world market, the wood industry is facing difficulties, especially in terms of the consumption market. Large markets such as the US, Europe, Japan, etc. have all reduced their consumption scale. In addition, the implementation of the provisions of free trade agreements in general and the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (VPA/FLEGT) in particular still faces many difficulties. Therefore, the Forum is an opportunity for Binh Duong to introduce and promote the wood processing industry as well as remove obstacles and difficulties, and promote legal and sustainable timber exports to the EU market.
On the sidelines of the Forum, there is also an exhibition displaying wood industry publications.
In the afternoon of the same day, the delegates visited Minh Duong Furniture Corporation in Thuan An City, Binh Duong province to learn about the practice of complying with the provisions of the VPA/FLEGT.
Delegates visit the exhibition booths and exchange information
Reported by Phuong Chi- Translated by Thanh Tam