– (IT) The aims of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon (the EU-Cameroon VPA, concluded on 6 May 2010) are to provide a legislative framework within which to detect and ensure the traceability of timber, to put in place government and independent verification procedures to certify that all timber exports from Cameroon to European markets have followed legal channels, and to reinforce the application of forestry regulations and governance.

– (LT) I agreed with this document, because the objective of the Cameroon-European Union Voluntary Partnership Agreement is to provide a legislative framework within which to detect and ensure the traceability of timber, put in place government and independent verification procedures to certify that all timber exports from Cameroon to European markets have been procured, felled, transported and exported legally, in order to provide a basis for the legal management and exploitation of the Cameroonian forests, and reinforce the application of forestry regulations and governance.

– (PT) I agree with the goal of providing a legislative framework for identifying and ensuring the traceability of timber products, establishing independent governmental verification procedures which certify that all timber products exported by the Republic of Cameroon to European markets have been obtained, harvested, transported and exported legally, with the aim of establishing the foundations of legal management and use in Cameroon’s timber sector, and strengthening the enforcement of forestry regulation and governance.

The objective of the Congo-European Union Voluntary Partnership Agreement (Congo-EU VPA) is to provide a legislative framework within which to (i) detect and ensure the traceability of timber, (ii) put in place government and independent verification procedures to certify that all timber exports from the Congo to European markets have been procured, felled, transported and exported legally, in order to provide a basis for the legal management and exploitation of the Congolese forests, and (iii) reinforce the application of forestry regulations and governance.

The objective of the Cameroon-European Union Voluntary Partnership Agreement (Cameroon-EU VPA) is to provide a legislative framework within which to (i) detect and ensure the traceability of timber, (ii) put in place government and independent verification procedures to certify that all timber exports from Cameroon to European markets have been procured, felled, transported and exported legally, in order to provide a basis for the legal management and exploitation of the Cameroonian forests, and (iii) reinforce the application of forestry regulations and governance.

Improvements in the processing and marketing of primary agricultural and forestry products should be encouraged by means of support for investments aimed at improving efficiency in the processing and marketing sector, promoting the processing of agricultural and forestry production for renewable energy, introducing new technologies and innovation, opening new market opportunities for agricultural and forestry products, putting emphasis on quality, improving environmental protection, occupational safety, hygiene and animal welfare, as appropriate, by targeting, as a general rule, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and other enterpr ...[+++]ises under a certain size, which are better placed to add value to local products, while simplifying the conditions for investment aid as compared with those laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999.