Making Forestry Fairer: A Practical Guide for Civil Society Organisations Taking Part in FLEGT VPA Negotiations

This guide is designed to help civil society organisations (CSOs) understand the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) negotiation process, explore ways to make the most of the opportunities it opens up, and highlight some of the potential pitfalls. It is divided into five parts.

Part 1 explains what VPAs are, and the potential they offer for improving the way forests are owned and managed.

Part 2 suggests some issues for CSOs to consider when deciding whether to take part in a VPA process, and how best to prepare for negotiations.

Part 3 covers the VPA negotiation phase and specifically looks at creating a participatory process, highlighting some key issues to consider.

Part 4 makes suggestions for the implementation phase of a VPA.

Part 5 offers some useful resources, references and links for further reading.