Public Consultation: Regional forest certification system for the Congo Basin

3 February 2021 PEFC system news

Stakeholders from around the world are invited to give feedback on the regional forest certification system for the Congo Basin. Deadline for comments is 1 April.

Our national members for Cameroon, Congo and Gabon joined forces under the name of PAFC Congo Basin to develop this regional certification system – the first regional system submitted to PEFC for endorsement. 

By developing a regional system, it enables our members to maximise their impact and reach, share resources and knowledge, and reduce the costs in developing and running a forest certification system.

The system is now undergoing the PEFC assessment process, carried out by an independent PEFC Registered Assessor. It must pass this process and be approved by the PEFC General Assembly before it can achieve endorsement.

An important aspect of the assessment process is the public consultation. Over the sixty-day consultation, stakeholders from around the world can give their comments and provide feedback on any aspect of the system. The Registered Assessor will use the information received from this consultation in their assessment of the system.

Need more information?

In order to provide you with additional information about this regional system, we held a webinar on 1 February, at 10:00 CET. Watch the recording:

PEFC in the Congo Basin

PAFC Gabon achieved PEFC endorsement of its national system in 2009, becoming our first endorsed system in Africa. The system was re-endorsed five years later in 2014. PAFC achieved endorsement of its national system in 2019. PAFC Congo became a PEFC member in 2017.

The new regional system will substitute the national systems from Gabon and Cameroon, while it will be the first for Congo.

The system development was led by ATIBT and supported by Olam and the PAFC members. The project is funded by PPECF (Programme de Promotion de l’Exploitation Certifiée des Forêts), a joint programme of KFW Development Bank and COMIFAC.