Commission Decision (EU) 2015/1158
of 8 July 2015
on the position to be taken by the Commission, on behalf of the European Union, in the Joint Implementation Committee set up by the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Indonesia on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade in timber products into the European Union as regards the amendments to the Annexes I, II, and V of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Indonesia
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Decision 2014/284/EU of 14 April 2014 on the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Indonesia on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union1, and in particular Article 4 thereof,
Whereas:
the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Indonesia on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union2 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Agreement’) entered into force on 1 May 2014.
Article 22(3) of the Agreement provides for amendments regarding the Annexes to be adopted by the Joint Implementation Committee.
There is a need to update the Annexes I, II, and V to the Agreement in order to reflect changes made after the conclusion of the Agreement in the relevant Indonesian legislation and guidelines concerning the application of the Indonesian Timber Legality Assurance System.
The proposed changes are aimed at further strengthening the TLAS and facilitate participation in the system by all economic operators
Therefore, Annexes I, II, and V to the Agreement should be amended accordingly.
Those modifications should be approved on behalf of the European Union.
This Decision is adopted in accordance with the opinion of the Committee on the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT Committee),
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: