EU and Cameroon Reach Agreement on Timber

Wood products exported from Cameroon to any nation in the European Union (EU) must now be accompanied by a license confirming the product's legal origin, according to United Press International. The voluntary agreement is meant to discourage the export of illegal timber products from Cameroon, a main timber exporter in Africa's Congo Basin. The EU and Cameroon began working on the agreement in 2007. "This agreement is a major step forward in our fight against illegal logging and will contribute to economic development and poverty alleviation in Cameroon," said Andris Piebalgs, EU commissioner for development.