Progress on a range of issues has been reported from the latest meeting of the International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC).

The Council, which met for its 37th session from 13-18 December 2004 in Yokohama, Japan, examined a range of issues, including: phased approaches to certification; measures to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the ITTO project cycle; enhancement of cooperation between ITTO and the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) for ramin and mahogany; strengthening the Asia Forest Partnership; forest law enforcement in the context of sustainable timber production and trade; and criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management. Delegates to ITTC-37 approved 25 projects and five pre-projects and pledged US$8 million for project financing.
Delegates also convened for the 35th sessions of the Committees on Economic Information and Market Intelligence, Forest Industry, and Reforestation and Forest Management to approve projects and pre-projects, review projects and pre-projects under implementation and ex-post evaluations, select completed projects for ex-post evaluation, and conduct policy work. The 16th session of the Committee on Finance and Administration also met to approve the indicative Administrative Budget for 2005, and review the current status of the Administrative Account.
In what was reportedly a good-natured meeting, delegates were able to agree on a decision to enhance cooperation between the ITTO and CITES for ramin and mahogany, and experienced only minor delays in formulating a decision on improving the effectiveness of the ITTO project cycle. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin report.