Intergovernmental Forum on Forests

Practitioner´s guide to the Implementation of the
IPF Proposals for Action

prepared by the Six-Country Initiative in Support of the
UN Ad-Hoc Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF)

Finland
Germany
Honduras
Indonesia
Uganda
United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland

Food and Agriculture
Organisation of the United
Nations (FAO)

United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP)

IV. Trade and environment in relation to forest products and services

Market access

Cluster/group of IPF proposals and contents	Reference to individual IPF Proposals	Relevant NFP elements Level of intervention	Linkage to international forest regime	Assessment of existing efforts (proposed aspects)	Identification of country-specific action
1. Study impacts of trade-related measures affecting forest products and services and undertake measures for improving market access for forest goods and services, including the reduction of tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade in that context to promote a mutually supportive relationship between environment and trade, including codes of conduct	128a, 128b, 128c, 69a,	Policy formulation, strategies, action plan Government, research institutions, private sector, NGOs	IFF Cat. II, forest-related discussions under international agreements, WTO, AFTA, ITTA,	Analysis of problems encountered with environmental, social and economic impact of trade-related measures, market access, tariff and non-tariff barriers, including evaluation of effectiveness of national and international measures currently applied	Conduct dialogue with private sector in order to identify and eliminate trade barriers, adjust policy, laws and regulations, including codes of conduct, if appropriate

Relative competitiveness of forest products

Cluster/group of IPF proposals and contents	Reference to individual IPF Proposals	Relevant NFP elements Level of intervention	Linkage to international forest regime	Assessment of existing efforts (proposed aspects)	Identification of country-specific action
2. Gather information and conduct market and economic studies of the potential competition between wood and non-wood substitutes analysing the impact on sustainable forest management	131a	Forest sector review Government in collaboration with relevant institutions and organisations, private sector	Trade agreements, WTO, AFTA, ITTA	Analyse existing information on market potentials and assess approaches for promotion of wood/non-wood substitutes	Conduct market research, communicate results and discuss measures towards SFM
3. Support developing countries to increase productivity and efficiency in downstream processing and community-based processing of wood and non-timber forest products	131b	Strategy and action plan, investment programme, Government, private sector, donor community, international investors	Discussion on holistic approach to SFM including processing, private sector investment	Assess efforts to attract private sector investment, to create favourable frame conditions (policy framework, incentives)	Define and establish public-private partnerships; transfer technology and know-how; formulate related projects and programmes

Lesser used species

Cluster/group of IPF proposals and contents	Reference to individual IPF Proposals	Relevant NFP elements Level of intervention	Linkage to international forest regime	Assessment of existing efforts (proposed aspects)	Identification of country-specific action
4. Intensify efforts and implement policies to promote the sustainable use of all economically viable lesser used species in domestic and international markets	132a, 132b	Government, private sector, research institutions	CBD and international initiatives on valuation of forest goods and services	Analysis of forest potentials, markets and trade promotion measures	Continue valuation of additional forest goods and services and develop promotion strategy for lesser used species and other forest goods and services

Certification and labelling

Cluster/group of IPF proposals and contents	Reference to individual IPF Proposals	Relevant NFP elements Level of intervention	Linkage to international forest regime	Assessment of existing efforts (proposed aspects)	Identification of country-specific action
5. Consider the relationships between sustainable forest management, trade and voluntary certification and labelling schemes, carry out studies on their impacts and their effectiveness in promoting sustainable forest management and exchange information and experience on these schemes	133a, 133d, 133e, 133g	Roles and mandates not yet fully identified; stakeholders: private sector, governmental institutions, research institutions in collaboration with NGOs and related international institutions (e.g. ISO, FSC)	International discussion and initiatives on certification and labelling int. trade agreements, UNCTAD, WTO	Analysis of market potentials and trade promotion measures	Analyse certification and labelling schemes, study impact on SFM, establish information exchange with national, regional and international approaches

Certification and labelling (continued)

Cluster/group of IPF proposals and contents	Reference to individual IPF Proposals	Relevant NFP elements Level of intervention	Linkage to international forest regime	Assessment of existing efforts (proposed aspects)	Identification of country-specific action
6. Support the application of accessibility, credibility, cost-effectiveness, transparency and participatory concepts to certification & labelling schemes, promote comparability and avoid duplication of efforts among such schemes	133c, 133f	Roles and mandates not yet fully identified; stakeholders: private sector, governmental institutions, research institutions in collaboration with NGOs and related international institutions (e.g. ISO, FSC)	International initiatives on certification and labelling (WWF-World Bank, FSC, ISO)	Assess existing concepts and their application in the country context, access of stakeholders to information and application, analyse potential comparability or overlaps and related bottlenecks	Develop certification schemes and consider comparability in design Establish collaboration mechanisms and exchange of related information
7. Provide capacity-building in certification and labelling	133b	Action programme Actors as above in collaboration with NGOs and related international institutions (e.g. ISO, FSC)	International initiatives on certification and labelling (WWF-World Bank, FSC, ISO)	Analyse existing initiatives and processes in relation to impact on strengthening capacities	Design and implement support programmes

Full-cost internalisation

Cluster/group of IPF proposals and contents	Reference to individual IPF Proposals	Relevant NFP elements Level of intervention	Linkage to international forest regime	Assessment of existing efforts (proposed aspects)	Identification of country-specific action
7. Explore ways to establish full cost internalisation of both wood products and non-wood substitutes, undertake analyses of their implications for sustainable forest management and share information on findings and implementation experience	134a, 134b	forest sector review, forest policy formulation, legislation Government, research institutions, private sector. International NGOs	Debate on certification and labelling, debate on trade and environment, IFF Cat. II, ITTA, WTO,	Analysis of linkages between forest sector and other sectors, valuation of forest goods and services, property rights and rights of access, regulations for concessions, community forestry and M&E systems	Conduct market and economic analyses; assess environmental impact of interventions, exchange information, adjust policies, develop appropriate instruments, e.g. tax regulations

Market transparency

Cluster/group of IPF proposals and contents	Reference to individual IPF Proposals	Relevant NFP elements Level of intervention	Linkage to international forest regime	Assessment of existing efforts (proposed aspects)	Identification of country-specific action
8. Expand work on market transparency for trade in forest products & services and consider measures to counter illegal trade in forest products	135a, 135b	Government, research institutions, private sector, local actors, NGOs	Debate on trade and environment, IFF Cat. II, ITTA	Analyse measures in relation to market transparency and trade, assess effectiveness of policy measures; analyse impact of regulatory measures	Conduct studies, exchange information, contribute to global database, conduct monitoring and establish appropriate measures (support to local communities, law enforcement)

V. International organisations and multilateral institutions and instruments, including appropriate legal mechanisms

Cluster/group of IPF proposals and contents	Reference to individual IPF Proposals	Relevant NFP elements Level of intervention	Linkage to international forest regime	Assessment of existing efforts (proposed aspects)	Identification of country-specific action
1. Support the forest-related work undertaken by international and regional organisations and under relevant international instruments and encourage them to incorporate the relevant results of UNCED and related activities, including the IPF proposals for action	144, 146a, 146d	National institutions, NGOs involved in international discussions in collaboration with regional / international institutions and organisations	All aspects of forest regime UNCED, Agenda 21, Forest Principles, IFF, other forest-related instruments (conventions, agreements), regional processes	Comprehensive analysis of national positions (and ways how these are established) towards international level debate on mandates and roles of international and regional organisations and specific contributions of the country	Contribute to international work on translating forest policy discussion; participate in related processes and initiatives, communicate at national, regional and international levels
2. Clarify the forest-related mandates of international institutions to improve integration and co-ordination and eliminate duplication of their efforts	146b, 146c	National institutions, NGOs involved in international discussions in collaboration with international institutions and organisations	Discussion on mandates of international institutions; IFF	Analyse efforts in defining needs for specific services to be provided by international institutions, and co-operation and co-ordination potential; assess national position vis-à-vis international institutions	Discuss and clarify roles and mandates of international organisations; define their services to the national level and support to NFPs, establish and enhance communication and interaction with actors at national level

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