SUPERVISION AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IN FORESTRY SECTOR IN BULGARIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD EXECUTIVE FOREST AGENCY SUPERVISION AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IN FORESTRY SECTOR IN BULGARIA Georgia, 5-6 June 2014

Total forest area - 4,165 mil. ha BULGARIAN FORESTS Total forest area - 4,165 mil. ha incl. afforested area - 3,761 mil. ha Percentage of area : coniferous - 28.7 % and deciduous – 71.3 %. incl. : Scots pine – 14.9 %, Austrian pine – 7.7 %, spruce – 4.3 %; oaks – 35.5 %, beech – 16.5 %, hornbeam– 4.2 %, acacia – 4.0 %. Percentage of total volume : coniferous – 44.6 %, deciduous – 55.4 % incl. : Scots pine – 21.5 %, Pinus n.– 10.8 %, spruce – 8.6 %, oaks – 21.3 %, beech – 24.0 %, hornbeam – 3.8 % and acacia – 1.2 %

Distribution of forest lands by ownership 3 3

Forest lands 4,2 mil ha - cover 37% of the country FMP

Institutional structure in forestry sector Ministry of Agriculture and Food 165 Trade units Forestry and Hunting units Executive Forest Agency 16 Regional Forest Directorates 6 State Forest Enterprises

Supervision and law-enforcement Fight against illegal forest activities New institutional set-up for supervision and law enforcement Institutional reform after 2011: Controlling body – Executive Forest Agency – 150 employees – 16 Regional directorates – 1000 empl. – state budget Economic functions – 6 State forest enterprises – 200 empl. – 165 forestry and hunting units – 6500 empl. – self-financing 17 thousands statements for infringement of forest act last year – trained personnel – lack of financing and lower salaries – possible conflict of interests Regular and sudden checks on the field and in processing plant – national register of forest enterprises – FMP or programs, cutting permits – transportation tickets – register for incoming/outgoing wooden materials

Functions of controlling body Forest policing (Policy & Strategy) Legislation Supervision and law-enforcement Control and inspection in state and non-state forests Forest inventory Support to private forest owners Forest protection – coordination, planning and control (erosion control, forest fire management, pests) National data base Seed control Nature park management

Supervision and law-enforcement Coordination between institutions - police service / anti-fire services - custom agency - prosecutor’s offices - revenue and tax agency Written agreements Joined working meetings National and regional level Coordination between institutions and stakeholders, professional, branch and environmental NGOs - elaboration of forest legislature and strategy - solving common problems - consultations Public-private partnerships - joined implementation of European projects and programs - 15 years contracts for hunting and game breeding activities

Supervision and law-enforcement Main challenges : illegal logging forest fires insufficient forest road network lower salaries in controlling body ecosystem services and benefits national forest inventory regional forestry plans Positive aspects : educated and trained employees traditions in silvcultural activities forestry management plans and programs experience and good examples in participation international projects and programs steps for further simplifying processes in forestry sector – internet based systems for cutting permits, registers and transportation tickets good legislative basis – forest act and ordinances

Implementation of Regulation 995/2010 EUTR EFA – Competent authority for EUTR implementation Special guidance for the CA’s checks on the operators, traders and MO – procedures, principles, who and where, frequency Written rules for the checks – step by step Risk-based approach combined with random Focus on Turkish boards and Chinese furniturure Planned and random checks and reports Records of the checks Checks on traders and MO

EUTR Sanctions - For infringement – up to 2500 € if no bigger sanction is foreseen - Fines in triple size – if more than 1 infringement is done in one year period - Seizures Certification schemes towards EUTR Advantages 22 % of forests FSC Predominantly state forests Problems – lack of financing, experience Certification or other third party verified schemes may be taken into account in the risk assessment and risk mitigation procedures

EUTR - lack of trained people First steps done - workshops - meetings - information in internet – websites, links, articles - informative materials – press release, leaflets, posters, FAQ - established national and regional commission on implementation - checks on operators and traders In near future - training programs - meetings with bigger operators - explanatory campaign - checks on operators, traders and MO Challenges in front of EUTR implementation - lack of trained people - imported wood products - access to Custom Agency data - wood from other sources – protected areas, parks, gardens

Thank you for your attention! Dipl. eng. Valentin Chambov Executive Forest Agency Sofia 1040, blvd. “Hristo Botev” 55 +3592 985 11 523, mob. ph. +359885841378 vchambov@iag.bg