metrology:
a. develop standards and guidelines relating to forest products in
domestic markets and the development of sustainable forest
industries, which facilitate the participation of small-scale rural and
local forest operators and promote the establishment and growth of
industries based on sustainably harvested forest products;
b. develop, in accordance with international trade rules, a binding
system of harmonised trade regulations that:
i.
reduces or eliminates intra-regional barriers to trade in
forest products in accordance with the Protocol on Trade;
and
ii.
establishes harmonised standards for international trade in
forest products from sustainably managed forests,
including sanitary and phytosanitary standards relating to
imported, exported and internally marketed forest products
in accordance with sanitary and phytosanitary measures
and standards and technical regulations on trade, as
contained in the Protocol on Trade;
c. develop specific product standards for wood and non-wood forest
products, wherever appropriate to promote trade in forest products
from sustainably managed forests in the Region;
d. establish mechanisms for transboundary co-operation in enforcing
controls concerning illegal trade in forest products; and
e. adopt and apply appropriate measures to restrict or eliminate trade
in protected tree species.
ARTICLE 19: CAPACITY-BUILDING AND PUBLIC AWARENESS
1. State Parties shall actively promote education, training, public awareness and
capacity-building in connection with forests, forestry and forest-related
activities to support the achievement of the objectives of this Protocol.
2. State Parties shall:
a. involve existing and new facilities and relevant institutions in the
Region in education, training and capacity building in connection with
forest-related activities;
b. co-operate and collaborate with relevant international and other
training and education institutions and organisations outside the
Region concerned with forests, and forestry;
c. promote the strengthening and development, throughout the Region,
of centres of excellence in forest management, forest conservation
and the production, utilisation and marketing of forest products; and
d. develop a regional programme for capacity-building in the forest
sector, giving particular attention to the development of capacity at
the rural or local level to participate in all aspects of forest
management and marketing.
ARTICLE 20: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
1. State Parties shall actively promote research and development in connection
with forests, forestry and forest-related activities to support the achievement of
the objectives of this Protocol.
2. State Parties shall:
a. actively involve existing and new facilities and institutions in the
Region in research and development in connection with forest-related
activities, including the conservation of forests, sustainable forest
management, the production, utilisation and marketing of forest