The work of the FAO-EU FLEGT Programme will continue through the Legal and Sustainable Wood (LSW) Programme, which is currently under development.

This new Programme will support the strengthening and implementation of robust and inclusive systems that assure legal sustainable forest management, improve forest governance and connect wood supply and demand for green growth.

The Programme impact ambition is that by 2030, in at least 15 wood producing countries, selected through consultation among Programme donor partners and advisors:

1. Robust, cost-effective and inclusive systems that assure legality and sustainability are in place to facilitate wood product supply chain due diligence, increase access to markets, and attract investment and finance;
2. At least 50% of natural production forests in target counties are covered by a legality or sustainability assurance system, contributing to sustainable forest management and improved forest sector governance;
3. Participation of small-scale producers in formal wood value chains is increased, as measured through national statistics reflecting legal and sustainable wood produced by smallholders and communities on public and private land;
4. Additional funding is mobilized for assurance systems implementation and tools are put in place to facilitate access to capital and investment opportunities for operators demonstrating legality and sustainability compliance.

LSW Programme work will be framed by four interlinked Pillars which, in combination, support stakeholders in developing countries to strengthen and adapt systems to demonstrate legality and ultimately sustainability of wood products to ensure they meet their needs.

• Pillar 1: National legal and policy instruments and institutional arrangements to assure legality and sustainability in wood production
• Pillar 2: Systems and digital tools to ensure effective and transparent demonstration of compliance with established standards and requirements 
• Pillar 3: Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), forest communities and smallholders have the ability to demonstrate and benefit from legal and sustainable performance 
• Pillar 4: Assurance systems facilitate growth of demand for and investment in legal and sustainable wood value chains