History beckons Ghana in EU FLEGT Licence: Parliament ratifies 131 timber utilisation contracts
Parliament has ratified 131 Timber Utilisation Contracts (TUCs), paving the way for Ghana to issue the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Licence for the export of timber and timber products to the European Union (EU) market.
The milestone, which was achieved on Thursday (July 24), puts the country in a good position to meet the October 8, 2025 deadline set by the EU for trade in timber under the Ghana-EU voluntary partnership agreement (VPA).
The ratification of the TUCs, which comes barely two months after the EU declared Ghana a low-risk country under the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), puts the icing on the cake of a 16-year journey of implementing technical systems and governance structures towards meeting the requirements of global timber trade.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Forestry Commission, Dr Hugh Brown, explained to the Daily Graphic that the ratification of the TUCs meant that the country was ready to go to the EU market without any hindrance.
He added that the issuance of FLEGT licence implied that timber entering the EU market from Ghana had been sourced legally or complied with strict environmental and legal standards — opening doors for trusted trade partnerships and elevating the country as a frontrunner in legal and traceable wood production.
“For wood importers, architects and large-scale furniture producers seeking legal and responsibly sourced timber, Ghana’s FLEGT licensing represents a new standard of assurance.
Backed by the Ghana Legality Assurance System (GhLAS) and its state-of-the-art Ghana Wood Tracking and Decision Support System (GWT-DSS), timber from Ghana is now traceable from forest to market,” he added.
Context
FLEGT licence, which is also known as the timber legality licence, is a document issued by timber-producing countries that have ratified a voluntary partnership agreement (VPA) with the EU.
The issuance of the licences commences after the timber producing country is subsequently cleared by independent assessors as having the requisite system to issue the licence.
The FLEGT licence confirms that shipment of timber or timber products have been legally done in accordance with the relevant laws of the country of harvest.
It also ensures that timber exported to the EU by partner countries is harvested legally, thereby promoting sustainable forest management.
While the FLEGT licence eliminates the risk of trading in illegal timber products for EU traders, its added advantage is that traders in FLEGT-licenced timber products do not need to undertake further due diligence, which can be time-consuming and costly.
For partner countries, the advantage is that FLEGT-licenced timber products are considered under EU Timber Regulation, making it easy to access EU markets. It also ensures that partner countries adopt environmentally sound practices to source and harvest timber in a sustainable manner.
On November 6, 2024, Ghana signed an agreement with the EU, setting June 30, this year, for the commencement of FLEGT licence
The deal was unveiled at the 12th session of the Ghana-EU Joint Monitoring Review Mechanism of the VPA in Accra, marking a significant milestone in the sustainable management of the country’s timber resources. However, the delays in ratifying the TUCs made it impossible for the FLEGT licence to start as expected.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has announced that the effective date for the FLEGT licence to be operational in the EU is October 8, 2025.
Historic feat
Dr Brown said the ratification of the TUCs by Parliament meant that the country would imminently become the first African country and second in the world after Indonesia to issue the FLEGT license.
He said the milestone did not happen overnight because, since entering a VPA with the EU in 2009, Ghana had invested in robust reforms, stakeholder training and legal frameworks.
The Forestry Commission CEO added that with 131 TUCs approved and fully ratified by Parliament, the country had cleared its final regulatory hurdle.
He said over 350 industry operators have been trained in the licensing process, ensuring smooth transactions for international buyers.
Compliance
A VPA governance consultant to the Forestry Commission, Chris Beeko, stated that for businesses and designers who cared about sourcing from robustly managed tropical forests, Ghana offered more than just high-quality tropical hardwood — it delivers credibility, traceability, and compliance with international standards.
He urged stakeholders in the timber industry to gird their loins and play according to the rules and regulations governing the FLEGT regime.
“If your consignment is covered by FLEGT licence, it means that you are telling the world that it is covered by the relevant laws. All stakeholders must know the commitment we made as a country, and it comes with responsibility,” Mr Beeko said.
“With FLEGT licensing in place, sourcing from Ghana means partnering with a nation where legality is guaranteed, forests are protected, and transparency is the rule, not the exception,” the VPA governance consultant added.
Mr Beeko said internal processes would be ramped up at the Forestry Commission for the smooth commencement of the FLEGT licencing regime.
