Termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Liberia on Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade in timber products to the European Union

This procedure concerns the termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the EU and Liberia on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade in timber. Amendments stress that illegal logging, deforestation and forest degradation harm the climate, biodiversity and forest-dependent communities. They note that Liberia's FLEGT licensing scheme is not yet in place, that the country has not met its VPA obligations over 11 years since entry into force in 2013, and that Liberia has expressed a wish to transition to a Forest Partnership under the Global Gateway approach. Amendments variously reject, regret or note the termination, call on the Commission to explore alternatives ensuring timber legality, safeguard civil society and the Joint Implementation Committee, and address cocoa-driven deforestation and the EU Deforestation Regulation.