Delegates deleted language stating that the Panel did not endorse the concept of country certification from a conclusion on the role of governments. The sovereignty language appears in the final conclusion. Delegates agreed to action proposals to expand work on market transparency, including possible development of a global database, and to provide an assessment on illegal trade in forest products. On the assessment of illegal trade, the US recommended that it be undertaken by an independent group of experts and added that it should incorporate information from all relevant sources and major groups. He stressed that it is illegal harvesting rather than illegal trade that must be countered, and thus it is enforcement of domestic legislation rather than formulation of new international regulations that should address this problem.
Countries can therefore share information describing their own enforcement.