Background
After six years of negotiations, on 11 May 2017 Vietnam and the EU inttialled the text of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (VPA/FLEGT), this marks the formal conclusion of the negotiations. VNFOREST is now working on the deailed design and guidance for the Organnization Classification System (OCS), an integral part of the Vietnam Timber Legality Assurance System (VNTLAS). This risk -based management system will allow VNFOREST to assess and define VNTLAS conpliance of approximately 4,800 Vienamese companies participating in the timber supply chain.
The OCS system will play a key role in the FLEGT licensing system and should be Closely monitored to ensure that it is transparent, accountable and reflects compliance with timber legality requirements.
Project Description
The Centre for rural Development in Central Vietnam (CRD) cooperated with the Center for Education and Development (CED) and the Center for People and Environment of the Central Highlands (COPE) and other stakeolders to implement this project.
Objectives
The main objective of this project is to “Support small bussiess holders comply with the VPA legality definition (LD) and future VNTLAS Organisations Classification system requirements in oder to effectively participate in national and global legal timber supply chains”. This includes the following specific objectives:
- To understand the technical capacity needs of provincial level stakeholders such as bussiness associations, local CSOs and provincial FPD to provide support to small bussiness holders.
- To increase CSOs and bussiness associations capacity to provide technical support to small bussiness holders.
- To develop an approach for future independent participatory monitoring of VNTLAS OSC implementation by CSOs and bussiess associations.
Activities
- Rapid assessment for better understanding of capacity – building needs of local stakeholders in Quang Tri and Dong Nai provinces.
1.1 Raising awareness with provincial stakeholders on VNTLAS and preparation of rapid assessment of ralated capacity building needs.
CED will organise a small consultative meeting with key stakeholders to discuss the proposed assessment methodology. CRD and COPE will convene meetings with key provincial stakeholders to raise awareness on timber legality requirement based on Vietnamese law and regulations and identify those that are interested in engaging in monitoring over the long term.
1.2 Conduct rapid assessment of capacity building needs in all districts of Quang Tri and Dong Nai Provinces.
The assessment will provide a detailed overview of timber industry operators in two selected provinces, gauge the potential impact of future OCS implementation on small bussinesses and indentify possible mitigation measures and capacity building and support neeeds. The assessment will cover very small business holdres at the community level and will identify different capacity building needs for different stakeholder groups..
1.3 Document results and organise a workshop to provide feedback to provincial partners and VNFOREST
CRD and COPE will compile, analyse and interpret the data collected during the rapid assessment. Findings will be desseminated to relevant stakeholders through a provincial workshop . Feed back will be cllected to guide to development of capacity development of capacity development support to relevant local stakeholders.
Capacity of CSOs and other local service providers to provide targeted technical suport to small – enterprises for LD compliance (future VNTLAS OCS readiness) is strengthenthened.
2.1 The selection and capacity building of CSOs and local partners to provide technical support to small – enterprises.
Selected CSOs and local parners that are commnitted to long – term monitoring and support of implementation will be provided capacity building. Local partners will be selected and trained to provide technical support to small – enterprises and will form their “suport network”.
2.2 Provide tecnical support to selected small and household businesses to prepare for VNTLAS ans OCS imprlementation.
Coaching suport and technical advice will be provided on a voluntary basis to the most vulnerable small and household bussinesses or those most in need of support.
CSOs and local associations have capacity to undertake independent/participatory monitoring of VNTLAS OCS implementation.
3.1 Develop as strategy and establish a network of CSOs, local timber growers organisations and timber industry associations to monitor VNTLAS OCS implementation.
3.1 Develop a strategy and astablish a network for future independent monitoring of the OCS by CSOs, local timber grower organisations and timber industry associations.
3.2 Workshop to provide feedback and recommendations to VNFOREST and National FPD on the development of the OCS regulations and operational guidelines, VNTLAS OCS monitoring, the VPA Complains.
CRD, in partnership with CED and COPE, will also organize a more formal workshop to provide inputs on the design (appropriateness, cost and efficiency) and implementation (role of CSO and other non government stakeholders in capacity building and monitoring) of the OCS, the VPA Complaints Mechanism and the Public information Disclosure mechanisms.