The International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC), the governing body of the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), took steps towards a decision, by mid-2024, to extend its founding agreement up to 2029. This agreement, the Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) summary report of the meeting indicates, allowed delegates to “buy[] some time before negotiations toward a new International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA) must begin.”

At the 59th session of the ITTC, which convened in Pattaya, Thailand, from 13-17 November 2023, there was “general support to extend ITTA, 2006, for another three years,” but “the undertones made it clear that everyone also believes it needs major reform,” ENB analysis of the meeting notes. “[D]ifferent ideas were voiced in the corridors, regarding the need not only to streamline the process of handling project funding but also to restructure the decision-making process, and indeed the institution itself.”

ITTO seeks to promote legal trade in tropical timber and encourage the use of wood derived from sustainable forest management (SFM).

According to the ENB summary, delegates also “agreed to try a new approach to encourage members that are in arrears with their financial contributions to ‘catch up’ on payments, by allowing part-payment to count towards restoration of some privileges.” Member countries supported the Secretariat in its efforts to “fundraise with renewed vigor,” and to position tropical timber in the context of current international support for action on climate change and biodiversity loss.

The Council debated over the new European Union Deforestation-Free Regulation (EUDR), which entered into force earlier this year. ITTO’s Trade Advisory Group and the topical timber Producer caucus “anticipate[d] smallholders and industry actors will face challenges in complying with the EUDR’s requirements for geolocation and traceability.” The EU maintained the Regulation will give smallholders, women, and local communities a stronger position in the supply chain and help them to get a better price for their products.

In addition to the “decision to decide” by 1 June 2024 on extending the ITTA, 2006, to 2029, ITTC-59 endorsed projects for SFM and related objectives, adopted its budget and work programme for 2024-2025 with an annual budget of USD 7.1 million, and agreed to a four-year trial period allowing members in arrears to still submit project concept notes for possible funding, subject to certain conditions. [ENB Coverage of ITTC-59]