Decision No 4 of the Joint Monitoring and Review Mechanism set up by the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Ghana on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade in timber products into the Community as regards amendments to its Annex I [2025/1990]

THE JOINT MONITORING AND REVIEW MECHANISM,

Having regard to the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Ghana on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade in timber products into the Community, which following ratification by the Parties entered into force on 1 December 2009 following its ratification by the Parties,

Whereas:

(1) Pursuant to point 3 of Article 26 the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Ghana on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade in timber products into the Community (‘the Agreement’) the Joint Monitoring and Review Mechanism (JMRM) may adopt amendments to the Annexes to the Agreement.

(2) Pursuant to Decision No 3 of 26 September 2023, the JMRM adopted amendments to Annexes I, II, IV and V to the Agreement.

(3) Annex I to the Agreement sets out the timber and wood products covered by the FLEGT Licensing Scheme. The timber and wood products are identified on the basis of their Harmonised (HS) code that in accordance with Article 2 point (d) of the Agreement is defined as the six-digit code set out in the Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding system established by the international convention on the harmonised commodity description and coding system of the World Customs Organisation.

(4) The World Customs Organisation adopted amendments to the international convention on the harmonised commodity description and coding system, including in relation to the six-digit codes applicable to the timber and wood products set out in Annex I to the Agreement. These amendments entered into force on 1 January 2022.

(5) The HS codes of the timber and wood products set out in Annex I to the Agreement, as amended pursuant to Decision No 3 of 26 September 2023, must be updated to align to the amendments to the international convention on the harmonised commodity description and coding system.

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Annex I to the Agreement is replaced by the Annex to this decision.

Article 2

This decision shall be drawn up in duplicate in the Bulgarian, Spanish, Czech, Danish, German, Estonian, Greek, English, French, Irish, Croatian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Maltese, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Finnish and Swedish languages, each of these texts being authentic. In case of divergence of interpretation, the English text shall prevail.

Article 3

This decision shall enter into force on 1 January 2025.

Done in Accra, Ghana on 6 November 2024.

For the Republic of Ghana

Hon. Samuel A. JINAPOR

Minister of Lands and Natural Resources

For the European Union

H.E. Irchad RAZAALY

European Union Ambassador to Ghana

ANNEX

‘ANNEX I

PRODUCT COVERAGE

The list in this Annex refers to the Harmonised Commodity Description established by the International Convention on the Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System of the World Customs Union.

THE HARMONISED COMMODITY CODES FOR TIMBER AND WOOD PRODUCTS COVERED UNDER THE VPA

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ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/1990/oj

ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)