Ecuador
Key documents required for timber legality and trade of Ecuador
Harvesting
| Key document | Explanation | Legal authority | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carta de Delegación (Delegation letter) |
A document signed by the owner delegating, and by the harvesting manager taking responsibility for implementation of the Cutting license, and notarized. | Notary | |
| Certificación de propiedad (Property certification) |
This is an attestation of the location and ownership of the harvesting area. The owner may delegate harvesting rights and obligations through a delegation letter (above). | Property registry of the County (Cantón) | |
| Certificado de Cumplimiento de Obligaciones Anteriores | Certificate of fulfilment of previous obligations issued by the Technical Office of the MAE after finding that the company has no technical or documentary obligation pending in anterior processes. | Ministry of Environment |
|
| Certificado de Registro Ambiental (Environmental registry certificate) |
Registration of each operation that might have an impact on the environment (also forestry operations such as harvesting). This is generated through the online ‘Sistema Único de Información Ambiental’ (SUIA). | Ministry of Environment - province level |
|
| Formulario Especial - FE (Special form) |
This special form, along with information on the property and the owner, is required to get an authorization for the harvest of Balsa and Pigüe, when the timber is extracted as roundwood (troza o rolliza), never as chain-sawn timber, and with a maximum volume of 12 m3 per form. | Ministry of Environment |
|
| Informe técnico de inspección preliminar (Technical preliminary inspection report) |
Technical report of the preliminary inspection carried out in the forest against the information submitted, necessary for the Ministry of Environment/ Agriculture to approve the Cutting license. | Ministry of Environment / Agriculture |
|
| Licencia de Aprovechamiento Forestal (Harvesting permit) |
After the required plans and programs have been approved, a Harvesting permit is issued. | Ministry of Environment / Agriculture | |
| Licencia de Aprovechamiento Forestal Especial (Special harvesting permit) |
A Special harvesting permit is required in case round wood is destined to be used, as such or sawn, in public works. | Ministry of Environment / Agriculture | |
| Plan de Manejo Integral - PMI (Integrated management plan) + Programa de Aprovechamiento Forestal Sustentable - PAFSU (Sustainable forest exploitation programme) |
The Integrated management plan (PMI) provides details of the forest: location, protected and other areas, inventory, UTM coordinates of the limits. A PMI and a Sustainable forest exploitation programme (PAFSU), both approved, are required in natural forests and in case of mechanized harvesting. A PMI is not required in forest plantations. Note: PMFSU (Programa de Manejo Forestal Sustentable) is the actual technical name for what is better known as PAFSU. |
Ministry of Environment |
|
| Plan de Manejo Integral - PMI (Integrated management plan) + Programa de Aprovechamiento Forestal Simplificado - PAFSI (Simplified Forest Exploitation Programme) |
A (PMI) is required to: A PMI and a Simplified forest exploitation programme (PAFSI), both approved, are required in natural forests involving non-mechanized extraction. A PAFSI is not required in forest plantations. Note: PMFSI (Programa de Manejo Forestal Simplificado) is the actual technical name of what is better known as PAFSI. |
Ministry of Environment |
|
| An approved Cutting license (based on the Technical preliminary inspection report), is required prior to issuance of a Harvesting permit in both natural forests and forest plantations. In case of pioneer vegetation, relict trees, planted trees and natural regeneration in a cultivated forest, a cutting plan must be prepared and approved as Cutting license for the use and transport of the wood, if the volume exceeds 12m3 (otherwise the Special form will suffice). | Ministry of Environment / Agriculture |
Processing & Trade
| Key document | Explanation | Legal authority | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carta de Delegación (Delegation letter) |
An annual export license (permit) that is issued on the basis of (i) an annual report of wood exports submitted to MAE/MAG and (ii) a general tax clearance certificate issued by the tax authority SRI (Servicio de Renta Interna) via the taxpayer registry RUC (Registro Único de Contribuyente) taking into account the wood export activity of the company and all related taxes paid to the Government. | Ministry of Environment / Agriculture | |
| Bill of Lading (B/L) | The B/L states what was loaded onto the ship e.g. list of containers (where applies), the types of products, number of pieces and/or quantities (for each container, and the total where applies). | Shipping agent | |
| Guía de Circulación / Movilización (Transport permit / Waybill) |
The issuance of Transport permits is supported by the respective Harvesting permits related to an approved Cutting license. The transport of wood (logs, chainsaw lumber) from the forest to the final destination (e.g. sawmill, storage, export), should be covered by a Transport permit and/or a sales invoice. | Ministry of Environment / Agriculture |