Independent Monitoring: A Practical Manual

When there is no cooperation with the government, ExternalMonitoring (EM) can be undertaken. This is possible but accessto information and to logging areas can often be difficult. It isalso more difficult to ensure that the government will take yourrecommendations into account and put preventive/correctivemeasures in place.IM-FLEG and FLEGTIf the problem of illegal logging is to be resolved, investmentand coordination are required from and between both theimporting and exporting countries. The FLEGT initiativeis the European Union’s response in this regard. One of themajor objectives of the FLEGT action plan is to strengthendeveloping countries’ capacity to monitor the logging of theirforests more effectively and to prevent illegal exploitation,thus reducing the trade in illegal timber between thesecountries and the European Union.The FLEGT initiative relies on partner countries establishinga Legality Assurance System (LAS) via the signing of aVoluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA). The LAS comprisesthe following elements 2 : (1) a definition of what constituteslegally-produced wood (table of legality indicators); (2) asystem for verifying compliance with the law; (3) a systemfor tracing wood and processed products from the forestto the end consumer; (4) the issuing of licences attestingto the legality of the exported products. An IndependentSystem Auditor (ISA) is responsible for verifying each of theelements in order to establish the effectiveness of the LAS.However, to conduct an accurate and credible audit, the ISAneeds to have access to reliable information from the field(monitoring, investigations, observations): this is wherethe Independent Monitoring of Forest Law Enforcementand Governance (IM-FLEG) comes in as it represents anexcellent source of information.How IM-FLEG promotes goodgovernanceThe REM project in Cameroon, implemented from 2005 to 2009,shows that IM-FLEG can result in specific government actions infavour of forest law enforcement and governance. The followingare some concrete examples of the results obtained:• A decision to set a minimum threshold for fines that resultfrom direct arrangements between an offending companyand the Ministry of Forests (i.e. without going through thejustice system), in order to maintain the dissuasive natureof forest law enforcement (2006);• The establishment of a more coherent numbering systemfor Small Logging Permits (SLPs), which are particularlysusceptible to illegal activities (2007);• The creation of a “secure documents committee” toensure better law enforcement with regard to the logging,processing and transport of wood (2008);• The suspension of 14 SLPs involved in illegal loggingactivity (2008);• The creation of a committee to analyse the volumes oftimber logged within small logging permits from 2007 to2009, with a view to recovering the taxes due.• The adoption and dissemination of a new circular letter onissuing permits and monitoring logging activity, with theaim of preventing abuses in the allocation and monitoringof small permits (2009).IM-FLEG REM taking note of the discussions, and the methodology usedby the Law Enforcement Brigade as lorries transporting illegal wood arestopped, CameroonObjectives of this ManualThis manual is intended to strengthen civil society’s capacity toimplement IM-FLEG (known here as IM), in particular in thecontext of the FLEGT. More specifically, it is aimed at helpingcivil society organisations to:1. Prepare and conduct field investigations;2. Develop an approach to producing reliable, objective anduseful accounts and reports - supported if possible by awell-managed database;3. Engage the different actors in a governance reformprocess.2European Commission (2007) FLEGT Note 7. www.loggingoff.info/media/articles/article_363.pdf3