64. Expresses deep concern at the EU imports of commodities, including wood, palm oil and soybean, which drive tropical deforestation; expresses concern that the emerging drive for biofuels may exacerbate pressure on tropical forests; calls for urgent action by the Commission and Member States to adopt measures to prevent or minimise negative impacts from such trade on tropical forests, including bilateral agreements under the forest law enforcement, governance and trade (FLEGT) programme; urges the Commission to come forward the soonest possible with an analysis of options for further legislation to curb imports of illegally harveste ...[+++]d timber;

63. Expresses deep concern at the EU imports of commodities, including wood, palm oil and soybean, which drive tropical deforestation; expresses concern that the emerging drive for biofuels may exacerbate pressure on tropical forests; calls for urgent action by the Commission and Member States to adopt measures to prevent or minimise negative impacts from such trade on tropical forests, including bilateral agreements under the forest law enforcement, governance and trade (FLEGT) programme; urges the Commission to come forward the soonest possible with an analysis of options for further legislation to curb imports of illegally harveste ...[+++]d timber;

64. Expresses deep concern at the EU imports of commodities, including wood, palm oil and soybean, which drive tropical deforestation; expresses concern that the emerging drive for biofuels may exacerbate pressure on tropical forests; calls for urgent action by the Commission and Member States to adopt measures to prevent or minimise negative impacts from such trade on tropical forests, including bilateral agreements under the forest law enforcement, governance and trade (FLEGT) programme; urges the Commission to come forward the soonest possible with an analysis of options for further legislation to curb imports of illegally harveste ...[+++]d timber;

The Commission should consider whether transferring the patent or data protection from a tropical medicinal product to another medicinal product marketed in the EU is an appropriate means of creating financial compensation for expenditure on research into the development of medicines to treat tropical diseases.

The Commission will encourage a joint approach with Member States, including through co-ordination through the European Tropical Forest Advisers Group (ETFAG), [22] and similar in-country co-ordination fora.

The tropical forests and their various functions and usefulness to humanity can contribute to a large extent to the achievement of the Union’s aims, not only in terms of development and the environment, but also with regard to its objectives of fighting poverty and sustainable economic and social development.