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The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) reported that none of Malaysia’s timber exports to the EU have been certified by the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Process (FLEGT) as Malaysia has not yet completed the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) negotiations with the EU. With the entry into force of the EUTR, Malaysian exporters supplying timber to the EU must provide EU importers with evidence of the legality of their timber exports to comply with EUTR due diligence requirements.
Malaysia uses RFID to track timber tube forests
At present, the VPA negotiation between Malaysia and the EU is still continuing. Peninsular Malaysia (including 11 states and 2 federal territories) and Sabah are likely to be the first to complete the VPA negotiation, and Sarawak will start the VPA negotiation later. Before the conclusion of the VPA negotiations, in order not to affect Malaysia’s timber exports to the EU, the Malaysian government has launched the Domestic Timber Legality Verification System (MYTLAS). The implementation of MYTLAS requires an annual audit by a third party to ensure its credibility and compliance with EUTR due diligence requirements.
In Peninsular Malaysia, the Malaysian Timber Industry Council (MTIB) is responsible for the management and implementation of MYTLAS, while in Sabah it is the Sabah Forestry Department. Nurmala Abdul Rahim, Secretary General of the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities Malaysia, announced on March 28 the establishment of a MYTLAS advisory group composed of experts and major implementing agencies. The advisory group will comprehensively consider the implementation and measures of MYTLAS. Feedback, market response and demand for capacity building, etc., to continuously improve the timber legality verification system.
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