Ghana Reports “Seamless” FLEGT Trade With EU
Ghana’s timber trade with the European Union has been “seamless and incident-free” since the country began issuing FLEGT licenses in October 2025, a senior Forestry Commission official has confirmed.
Speaking at the opening of the EU-Ghana Timber Trade & Investment Forum at Carrefour International du Bois 2026 at Nantes, France, Mr Kwabena Akyeampong Boakye, Director of the Timber Validation Department (TVD) of the Forestry Commission, said Ghana’s 16-year partnership with the EU under the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) is delivering results for industry and forest governance.
On October 8, 2025, Ghana became the first country in Africa, and only the second worldwide, to issue FLEGT licences. Mr Boakye told delegates that since licensing began, “our trade of timber products with the European Union market has been seamless and incident-free.”
The milestone, he noted, was made possible by financial and technical support from the European Union (EU).
On strengthening the System Post-Licence, Mr Boakye outlined four key developments Ghana has pursued since FLEGT licensing began.
The first, he said, was Independent Validation. The Timber Validation Committee (TVC), a 9-member non-executive body set up under LI 2254, now monitors the Timber Validation Department. New Working Procedures have been developed to ensure verification and validation of licence applications are conducted in a “credible, independent and transparent manner” without interference. The TVC is also mandated to settle complaints and report every six months to the sector Ministry.
Touching on massive capacity building of stakeholders in the value chain, Mr Boakye mentioned that hundreds of operators and Forestry Commission staff have been trained in collaboration with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). Training covers licensing procedures, Ghana Legality Assurance Systems (GhLAS) compliance mechanisms across the supply chain, use of the industry portal, complaints mechanisms, and Closure of Corrective Action Requirements (CARs).
Well-schooled leadership is a must for the continuous and successful operation of the FLEGT regime; therefore, there has been ongoing capacity building for the Executive Management Team of the Forestry Commission, which is helping top officials understand Ghana’s progress post-FLEGT and the direction under the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA).
Mr Boakye further informed the gathering that with EU support, a consultancy is currently analysing Ghana’s Legality Assurance System to ensure full alignment with the EU Deforestation Regulation requirements.
Mr Boakye said Ghana’s participation at Carrefour du Bois 2026 was “simply a FLEGT License Promotion.” His assurance to buyers and investors was that “FLEGT License Timber issued by the Ghana Legality Assurance System ensures that all timber products produced and exported to the European Union are in compliance with national laws, reflecting the three pillars of sustainable forest management that equally align with the European Union commitment to halt deforestation.”
He closed by wishing delegates “a great deliberation and participation” at the three-day fair.
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