Cameroon is at the centre of global concern about illegal logging. The forest verification system in the country provides exceptional insights on ways to improve forest governance at national and regional level. The introduction of independent observers in the allocation of forest titles and in forest control activities has been instructive both as regards issues of ownership and independence of verification processes and the potential impacts on forest management practice. In November 2007 Cameroon entered into negotiations of a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the European Union.