Indonesia to Simplify Wood Verification System
9 December 2014 03:16 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government will facilitate the implementation of wood legality verification system (TLVs) for small-scale wood processing industries. "In the future, [the process] is done simply by presenting an affidavit or self declaration," said Partogi Pangaribuan, the Trade Ministry's director general of foreign trade, yesterday.
The simplification, he said, is done to release small businesses from the obligation to hold TLVS as a requirement to export their goods after January 1, 2015. "We do not want any delays in exports, as this will help our trade balance as well," he said.
The Indonesian Furniture and Handicraft Association (AMKRI) welcomes the decision. AMKRI chairman Soenoto said the current wood verification process is too time-consuming and requires too many additional requirements such consent principle and environmental management permits.
The current system also requires TLVS applicants to pay Rp25 million to Rp40 million for verification costs and pay an additional Rp25 million for the audit.
"The time it takes to process it is also too long. The soonest is one month," he said.
PINGIT ARIA | URSULA FLORENE
