Objectives and expected outcomes

The Europe and Northern Asia (ENA) FLEG Ministerial Conference was held in November 2005 in St. Petersburg, Russia. The St. Petersburg Ministerial Declaration, adopted by 44 countries at the Conference, expresses profound concern that criminal actions and corruption have significant negative impacts including a general weakening of the rule of law, loss of revenue to governments, the private sector and local livelihoods, and a reduction in the contribution of forests to the fulfillment of internationally agreed development goals aimed at reducing poverty.

The European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) is the main financial mechanism of the European Commission through which assistance is given to the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) Partner Countries, as well as Russia. The overarching aim of the ENPI is to create a system of shared values, stability and prosperity and promote enhanced cooperation and deeper economic and regional integration by covering a wide range of cooperation areas. For more information on the ENP and its priorities in the countries, please click here.

The ENPI FLEG Program “Improving Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in the European Neighborhood Policy East Countries and Russia” aims to contribute to the achievement of legal and sustainable forest management and utilization practices; a strengthened rule of law and improved local livelihoods in each of the seven participating countries:  Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine.  

The Program aims to support improved forest governance arrangements through the effective implementation of the main priorities set out in the ENA FLEG Ministerial Declaration, through selected pilot activities and with the active involvement of governments, civil society and the private sector. Priorities relate to a strengthening and reform of the institutions responsible for forest management, reviewing and updating the policy, legal and institutional frameworks, as well as increasing the countries’ capacities to enforce existing laws and policies. 

Among many results the Program is expected to help achieve:

• A more favorable policy and institutional environment for forest and broader governance reforms and actions;
• Specific priority forest governance actions carried out in the seven countries with the support of key actors;
• Improved coordination of ENA FLEG follow up at the national and sub-regional level;
• Proactive capturing and sharing of lessons learnt across countries and regions.

A European Commission grant was provided to the World Bank through a multi-donor trust fund which funds the Program.  It is implemented through partnership agreements in cooperation with IUCN and WWF. The ADA began its contribution to this fund beginning in 2012.

To learn more about the structure of the Program implementation, see the organizational chart.

For a short description of the Program and its objectives, click here.

Partner Links:

European Commission
http://ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm

Austrian Development Cooperation
http://www.entwicklung.at/

World Bank
http://www.worldbank.org

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
http://www.iucn.org

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
http://www.wwf.org