Indonesia standardizes ecolabeling procedures
Indonesia standardizes ecolabeling procedures
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is standardizing ecolabeling
procedures and criteria for its timber companies.
The minister of forestry, Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo, said
yesterday the standardization of ecolabeling procedures would be
completed by April.
The Ministry of Forestry in cooperation with the Indonesian
Ecolebelling Agency and the Association of Indonesian Forest
Concessionaires were still working on it, he said.
He said the standardization would mainly deal with the
internationally accepted methods of assessing sustainable forest
management.
"After the national standardization, we will try to establish
the standard for ASEAN countries," he said at a workshop on the
readiness of concessionaires for ecolabeling and the free trade.
Djamaluddin said Asian and European countries were
anticipating Indonesia's proposed ecolabeling standard because
was the only country to authorize an independent non-governmental
organization to assess concessionaires.
ASEAN groups Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand,
Singapore, Vietnam, and Brunei.
The Indonesian Ecolabeling Agency has recently run
ecolabeling trials on tropical wood from 14 forest
concessionaires.
Djamaludin said the results showed that none were fully
prepared for ecolabeling, and only between three and five were
almost ready.
One of the concessions in the East Kalimantan was found to
have abandoned its obligation to support its nearby village,
although it managed the forest well, he said.
The forestry ministry requires concessionaires to develop
their nearby village.
The minister said Indonesian timber companies had no choice
but to follow ecolabeling procedures. Otherwise, they would not
be able to export their products when ecolabeling becomes an
international prerequisite in 2000, he said.
"Although ecolabels are not compulsory for concessionaires,
they may not be able to have access to the markets in some
countries without the labels," Djamaludin said.
The minister also urged the government to provide incentives
to industrial timber estates because less people were becoming
interested in the industry.
Timber estates were environmentally friendly because the trees
kept growing after harvesting and therefore the estates would
pass ecolabeling requirements, he said. (02)
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is standardizing ecolabeling
procedures and criteria for its timber companies.
The minister of forestry, Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo, said
yesterday the standardization of ecolabeling procedures would be
completed by April.
The Ministry of Forestry in cooperation with the Indonesian
Ecolebelling Agency and the Association of Indonesian Forest
Concessionaires were still working on it, he said.
He said the standardization would mainly deal with the
internationally accepted methods of assessing sustainable forest
management.
"After the national standardization, we will try to establish
the standard for ASEAN countries," he said at a workshop on the
readiness of concessionaires for ecolabeling and the free trade.
Djamaluddin said Asian and European countries were
anticipating Indonesia's proposed ecolabeling standard because
was the only country to authorize an independent non-governmental
organization to assess concessionaires.
ASEAN groups Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand,
Singapore, Vietnam, and Brunei.
The Indonesian Ecolabeling Agency has recently run
ecolabeling trials on tropical wood from 14 forest
concessionaires.
Djamaludin said the results showed that none were fully
prepared for ecolabeling, and only between three and five were
almost ready.
One of the concessions in the East Kalimantan was found to
have abandoned its obligation to support its nearby village,
although it managed the forest well, he said.
The forestry ministry requires concessionaires to develop
their nearby village.
The minister said Indonesian timber companies had no choice
but to follow ecolabeling procedures. Otherwise, they would not
be able to export their products when ecolabeling becomes an
international prerequisite in 2000, he said.
"Although ecolabels are not compulsory for concessionaires,
they may not be able to have access to the markets in some
countries without the labels," Djamaludin said.
The minister also urged the government to provide incentives
to industrial timber estates because less people were becoming
interested in the industry.
Timber estates were environmentally friendly because the trees
kept growing after harvesting and therefore the estates would
pass ecolabeling requirements, he said. (02)