On December 19-20, in Vinh city, the Office of Sustainable Forest Management Certification in collaboration with the Department of Forestry and the National Agricultural Extension Center organized a workshop on Deforestation-Free Commodity Production under EUDR Regulations - Opportunities and Challenges.
Dr. Vu Tan Phuong - Director of the Office of Sustainable Forest Management Certification and Mr. Nguyen Danh Hung - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghe An chaired the Workshop. Attending the Workshop were representatives of the Office of Sustainable Forest Management Certification, the Department of Forestry, relevant organizations in forest management and certification; Representatives of departments and branches; leaders of the People's Committee and the Department of Agriculture of Nghe An province and some provinces in the North Central region.
Many potentials for exploiting forest resources
The landmark European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) comes into force on 29 June 2023, with EUDR rules applicable from 30 December 2024.
The workshop introduced the European Union's regulations on deforestation-free production of goods, and introduced the EUDR Adaptation Action Plan Framework. The workshop also provided information on the Vietnam Forest Certification System (VFCS), steps to implement sustainable forest management certification; difficulties, challenges and solutions to promote forest certification, contributing to the implementation of the strategic goals of Vietnam's forestry development in the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050.
The workshop aims to connect scientists, forest owners and wood production and processing enterprises to develop forest material areas with sustainable forest management certification, and produce goods in accordance with EUDR regulations in Nghe An province and neighboring provinces.
To promote the potential and advantages of forest resources, Nghe An province has developed and implemented the Green Growth Action Plan for the period 2021-2030 with many contents: Developing raw material forests with sustainable forest certification associated with high-quality wood processing in the period 2017-2020; promoting the development of high-quality intensive forest material areas associated with granting certificates of sustainable forest management and forest product processing industry in the period 2021-2025; policies to support agricultural and rural development in the period 2022-2025...
Thereby, Nghe An Forestry sector has achieved many results in forest protection and development, forest cover remains stable at over 58%, biodiversity is preserved, watershed protection and environmental protection are possible; creating jobs, increasing income, reducing poverty for ethnic minorities in mountainous areas and forest workers. The economic structure within the sector has shifted positively, gradually forming and developing high-quality intensive forest material areas associated with processing and consumption of products. The Forestry sector has seen strong growth in forest planting, protection and protection, with forest cover reaching 58.36% by 2022.
To date, Nghe An has 16,884.0 hectares of forest certified for sustainable forest management under VFCS/PEFC and FSC. The target is to have 50,000 hectares of certified forest by 2025; and 100,000 hectares of certified forest by 2030.
Opportunities and challenges
In addition to identifying potentials and opportunities for economic development and increasing revenue from forests, many delegates attending the workshop presented opinions, discussed and assessed opportunities, challenges, and strategic directions for sustainable exploitation of forest resources and production without causing deforestation.
Mr. Vu Tan Phuong - Director of the Office of Sustainable Forest Management Certification informed at the workshop about the national forest certification system, policies on implementing forest management, protection and forest certification as well as related standards; the current status of exploitation and use of planted forest wood and the product chain of custody in the national forest certification system.
According to the anti-deforestation regulations of the European Union, the wood processing and wood products (WP) export industry of Vietnam to the EU has many opportunities as well as challenges. For example: The legal system regulates the legality of wood. Vietnam has banned the exploitation of natural forest wood since 2014, the main source of raw materials is currently from domestically planted forests. Wood products exported to the EU are mainly imported from active geographical areas and have sustainable forest management certificates.
The Trade and Sustainable Development Chapter of the EVFTA includes commitments on sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation, combating illegal logging and trade in timber and preventing deforestation. Therefore, the preparation and implementation of the EUDR affirms Vietnam's commitment to sustainable development, contributing to promoting the implementation of the EVFTA.
In addition to great opportunities, it is necessary to identify challenges and difficulties in the field of forest exploitation. In particular, Vietnam is an agricultural exporter to Europe, many Vietnamese agricultural products will be on the list of products that must be adjusted to adapt to the new regulations.
The passage of this new law is a challenge that requires manufacturing and exporting businesses to change more strongly, towards building brands in the direction of responsibility and transparency.
The current legal system of our country does not provide for the description/identification of the geographical location of all land plots related to goods produced in Vietnam. About 50% of Vietnam's wood and wood products exported to the EU are imported, therefore, it is necessary to identify the geographical indications of this wood source, especially for sources that do not have sustainable forest management certification.
Faced with opportunities and challenges in exploiting sustainable economic potential from afforestation, developing forest-related industries, and not causing deforestation, the workshop suggested and oriented a lot of important information to help localities, units, and enterprises promote advantages, conditions, and apply policies to achieve high results in production and business development associated with environmental protection and sustainable growth.
The Vietnam Forest Certification Scheme (VFCS) was established on the basis of Decision No. 1288/QD-TTg dated October 1, 2018 of the Prime Minister approving the Project on Sustainable Forest Management and Forest Certification. During the period of 2019-2021, the General Department of Forestry acts as the National Forest Certification Body (NGB) and the Sustainable Forest Certification Office (VFCO) is under the General Department of Forestry. During this period, Vietnam became the 51st member of the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) on May 30, 2019 and VFCS was officially certified by PEFC on October 29, 2020. In October 2021, the role of NGB was assigned to the Vietnam Forestry Science Institute (VAFS) and VFCO was transferred to the Institute according to Decisions No. 3924/QD-BNN-TCCB and Decision No. 3925/QD-BNN-TCCB dated October 4, 2021 of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Source
![[Photo] Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs Government Conference with localities on economic growth](https://vstatic.vietnam.vn/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/2/21/f34583484f2643a2a2b72168a0d64baa)
Comment (0)