Article 4
1. Imports into the Community of timber products exported from partner countries shall be prohibited unless the shipment is covered by a FLEGT licence. 2. Existing schemes that guarantee the legality and reliable tracking of timber products exported from partner countries may form the basis of a FLEGT licence on condition that those schemes have been assessed and approved in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 11(2), in order to provide the necessary assurance as to the legality of the timber products concerned. 3. Timber products of species listed in Annexes A, B and C to Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 of 9 December 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein ( 4 ) shall be exempt from the requirement laid down in paragraph 1 of this Article. The Commission shall review this exemption, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 11(3), by 30 December 2010.