A legality assurance system makes it possible for the private sector and for government to identify, monitor and license legally produced timber.
The LAS is the main tool for guaranteeing legality. It consists of:
- The “legality grid”: A matrix which outlines the laws, verifiers and indicators used to monitor enforcement of laws
- Chain of custody: The wood tracing system which ensures only timber verified as legal will be exported or sold. Verified and unverified timber should be kept separate
- Verification of legal compliance: The way the government or third party verifies no illegally sourced timber enters the chain of custody.
- Licensing: A FLEGT license is issued to timber verified as legal, and this allows it to be shipped to the EU
More information found here (in English): FLEGT Briefing Notes: Legality assurance systems: requirements for verification
