Guatemala : Indicators

Licences or permits for commercialisation of timber are stipulated in the Law on Protected Areas, and in Guatemala’s Forest Law. Such licences/permits require compliance with a series of technical specifications, and processes for verification of the respective Management Plans. Before an operating licence can be issued, presentation of a Forest Management Plan is fundamental. This document must be drawn up according to a process which verifies a series of requirements, as required by Guatemalan legislation.

However, these processes do not equate to a process of "due diligence" as proposed by the international initiatives and the public institution responsible for forest management in Guatemala does not publish reports on the processes for verification ensuring compliance with the legal requirements for commercialisation and transport of forest products. To obtain licences and permits for commercialisation and transport, the only aspects reviewed are those stipulated in the existing regulations. These include:

• Forest Law Regulations, Uses of Mangrove Forests, Transport of Forest Products, Forest Register, Forest Managers
• Manual for Export of Mahogany and the Specifications on the CITES List.