Promotion of trade in sustainably produced tropical timber
SECO is promoting framework conditions that promote trade
in sustainably produced timber and other forest products, and encourages the
financial compensation of the forests’ ecosystem services. This contributes
to poverty reduction and the conservation of tropical forests.
This goal is being pursued using the following measures:
1. International policy dialogue
Active participation in the work of the International Tropical
Timber Organization (ITTO) and in the formulation of the International Tropical
Timber Agreement (ITTA);
Contribution to regional forums of the Forest Law Enforcement and Governance
(FLEG) initiative implemented by the World Bank;
Support to other federal agencies (particularly the FOEN and SDC) in the international
policy dialogue on tropical forests.
2. International involvement at the operational
level
Support and monitoring of project work, with the following focal
points:
Support of export capacities for products from sustainably managed tropical
forests through promotion of certification and labelling as well as cooperation
between the public and private sectors and civil society;
Fight against illegal logging and related trade;
Promotion of compensation for ecosystem services of tropical forests (carbon
sequestration, biodiversity, ecotourism, etc.);
Establishment of conservation belts in critical tropical forest areas as
components of sustainable forest management concepts.
SECO has entrusted the implementation and monitoring
of project work in the domain of tropical forest to the Swiss based foundation
Intercooperation. Main partner in implementing the activities is ITTO,
besides several bilateral partners such as WWF
and IUCN.
Currently, SECO is supporting through ITTO, approximately a dozen important
projects in tropical countries.
3. Interventions in Switzerland
Improvement of access to markets in Switzerland and Europe for sustainably
produced tropical timber and other tropical forest products.
SECO is supporting SMEs in selected developing countries to integrate into
the international trade system through the Swiss Import Promotion Programme
(SIPPO). Firms are provided with advice and technical backstopping and exporters
and importers are brought together.
Promotion of information exchange between Swiss players from the private
sector, environmental organisations, other federal agencies and the media.
Participation in the policy dialogue in Switzerland and support for efforts to promote imports of sustainably produced tropical forest products in Switzerland.
SECO’s activities create synergies between policy dialogue
and project work: Strategic guidelines are tested in practice; experiences flow
back into policies.
