The publication of these 5 reports completes the work of the REM, Independent Observer  (IO) of the implementation of forestry law and governance in the DRC, which runs from 1^st December 2010 to 30 April 2013.

These reports were prepared by the IO following four field missions jointly conducted with officials of the Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation of and Tourism (MENCT), thus covering close to 80°% of permits currently being exploited in the DRC and a significant number of small-scale logging operations. These missions aimed to observe and support officials in the performance of their daily duties of controlling the legality of logging operations.

The IO noted that operations visited systematically displayed wide scale and varied irregularities, likely to be considered as violations of Congolese law. The reports provide details concerning irregularities observed at operating sites, as well as evidence gathered at administrative level. REM IO observations are also systematically followed by specific recommendations to the Congolese government, to sanction or regulate where there are legal gaps. Some of those VIOLATIONS are currently the subject of legal proceedings and are being monitored by the IO.

In December 2012, these 5 mission reports were thoroughly and constructively discussed by an IO ad-hoc Committee recognized under Congolese law and made up of the MECNT, the IO, the donor community and the civil society.

In spite of delays owing to difficulties encountered in the establishment of the multi-stakeholder committee, this review guarantees greater transparency in the forestry sector. It encourages ownership of illegal logging practices or administrative loopholes by authorities, the adoption of corrective measures by the MENCT and guarantees the credibility and objectivity of IO reports.

Specific reports were also published following discussions by the ad-hoc Committee; these include an inventory of offences with a view to easing their monitoring

♦ Mission Report 1

 Logging permits concerned: Supply Guarantee N° 018/03, 002/93, 033/05, 091/03, 034/04, 011/03, 035/05, 025/04, 002/89, 023/03.

♦ Mission Report 1b

Logging company involved: SIFORCO.

♦ Mission Report 2

Logging permits concerned: Supply Guarantee N° 041/05, 019/03, 021/03, 028/03, Forest Concession n°005/011, and Small-scale Permits

♦ Mission Report 3

Mission location: Bas-Congo Province.

Date of Mission:9 to 15 November 2011.Logging permits concerned: None.

♦ Mission Report 4

Logging permits concerned: Industrial Permits 004/11, 012/11, 015/11, 020/11 and Small-scale Logging Permits 2010/004, 2010/003, 06/EQ/2012, 08/EQ/2012, 2010/07/CAB/PROGOU/EQ, 2010/08/CAB/PROGOU/EQ