The International Tropical Timbers Agreement (ITTA) represents the only multilateral agreement in the trade of tropical forests products. Its field of action is not limited to a transparent regulation of the world trade in tropical timber, but it is also an instrument to enhance sustainable development of the tropical forests. The parties to ITTA have undertaken a process of negotiation of the successor agreement, process that will culminate in 2004 and will facilitate a reinforced and adequate action in the context of the recent evolution of the situation of the tropical forests and trade of their products.

The International Tropical Timber Organization ITTO, established by the ITTA, is the only international organization specialized in sustainable development of the tropical forests. ITTO includes producer and consumer countries of tropical forest products. Its 58 members, including the European Union, represent together 95 percent of the world trade in tropical timber and 75 percent of the world' s tropical forests.

An evaluation of the 14 years collaboration between SECO and ITTO highlighted the constant improvement of ITTO in capacity building and its excellent levels of quality in the management of the project cycle and as a platform between producers and consumers. Beyond projects of forest management, ITTO assists in the various stages of the forest products subsector like forest industries and information on the market.

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Who are the actors?
Why tropical forests?
Why incentives instead of bans?
What commitment?