Forest cover in Myanmar is approximately 29 million hectares or about 43% of its national territory. The forest area is owned by the State, but management rights can be granted to communities or private companies. According to IUFRO’s 2017 global teak study Myanmar - well known for its natural teak (Tectona grandis) - has nearly half of the world’s 29 million hectares of natural teak forests. Between 2010 and 2015, Myanmar lost 2.7 million hectares of forests, about 8.6% of its forest cover. 

In 2019, Myanmar’s timber exports to the EU were worth about EUR 45 million, an increase compared to EUR 32 million in 2017 but a sharp fall compared to EUR 66 million in 2007. The forestry sector accounted for approximately 0.1% towards Myanmar’s GDP and 5% to its state revenues during the fiscal year 2017/18.

Forests are the responsibility of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MONREC). The State-owned Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE) is responsible for the harvesting, processing and sale of commercial timber. Private forest plantations were allowed to be established in 2006 under long-term land leases with the State but they are not yet a source of timber for export. 

The Government of Myanmar committed to improve the governance of its forest sector and started to engage with FLEGT in 2015. In November 2018, the national Multi-Stakeholder Group was formally established to represent the interests of all forest sector stakeholders in guiding future activities related to FLEGT in Myanmar. The Multi-Stakeholder Group has representatives from civil society organisations, the Government and the private sector. There are also multi-stakeholder groups in states and regions to ensure that local perspectives are taken into account. 

Myanmar is one of the four Mekong countries where the EU FLEGT Facility is supporting the participation of small and micro timber enterprises in legal supply chains.