Wyden Applauds Peru’s Decision to Restore Independent Oversight of Forestry Protection Agency

Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement today, in response to news Peru will reverse its decision to strip independence from the timber watchdog agency OSINFOR and restore autonomy to the agency:

“Peru is making the right decision today. USTR used enforcement tools to convince Peru to restore independence to an important agency tasked with cracking down on illegal logging. Today’s announcement demonstrates how the US-Peru trade agreement provided the United States with leverage to help enforce trade provisions requiring Peru to crack down on illegal timber. The United States has the opportunity to build on this model to enforce other trade agreements and address unique issues we confront with our trading partners. There is more work to be done to fight illegal timber trafficking in Peru, but I am pleased that Ambassador Lighthizer and his team prevailed on this important issue.”

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