EN    EN EN 
EN    EN  EUROPEAN COMMISSION 
Brussels, 26.8.2010 
SEC(2010) 978 final 
  
COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 
on the implementation of the Forest Focus scheme according to Regulation (EC) No 
2152/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 November 2003 
concerning monitoring of forests and envi ronmental interactions in the Community 
(Forest Focus) 
  
accompanying document to the 
 
report from the Commission to the European  Parliament and the Council on the  
implementation of the Forest Focus scheme  according to Regulation (EC) No 2152/2003 
of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 November 2003 concerning 
monitoring of forests and environmen tal interactions in the Community 
(ForestFocus) - Final report 
COM(2010) 430 final 
EN 2   EN 1. FINANCIAL OVERVIEW  
The financial overview of the initial commitments and the final expenditure of the 
Forest Focus scheme is shown in table 1. The breakdown of the scheme has been done in two main blocks: the monitoring activ ities, forest fires prevention activities 
and studies included in the national programmes for 2003 and 2006 and what is 
considered as the "other use of the Fore st Focus budget". This second block includes 
the mid term review of the Forest Focus Regulation, the experts meetings, the administrative arrangement with the joint Research Centre, the agreement between 
ICP-forests and the European Commission, the report from the UNECE on the state 
of forests in Europe 2007 and the conferences organi sed by the Commission on the 
results of the demonstration projects and studies. 
Table 1. Total budget allocations and final payments
1  
Monitoring Activities and 
studies from all NP 2003-2006 € committed € paid 
A activities – coordination and 
management  3.890.786 2.325844,63 
B1 – Level I monitoring network 4.682.896 4.009.735,70 
B2 – Level II intensive monitoring plots 21.526.698 19.566.344,86 
B3 – forest fire prevention activities and EFFIS 9.364.283 5.055.365,85 
C – studies and demonstration projects 17.003.559 14.815.015,06 
Subtotal 1, allocation for 
monitoring activities 2003-2006 56.468.222 45.772.306,10 
Other use of the Forest Focus 
budget   
Mid term review of the Forest Focus regulation  326.000,00 326.000,00 
Expert meetings on forest monitoring  79.585,80 29.087,71 
Administrative arrangement with the Joint Research Centre: scientific co-o rdination body 6.382.000,00 6.382.000 
Agreement between ICP-forest 
and the European Commission 750.000,00 747.067,91 
Report from the UNECE on state of forests and sustainable forest in Europe 2007 50.000,00 40.000 
 Conferences on the results of the C-Studies 2003-2004 & Biosoil 46.093,37 46.093,37 
                                                 
1 The financial analysis of the scheme has been done in March 2010, considering the results of the French 
financial audit for the 2003-2004 national programme. It has to be considered that further audits may be 
undertaken at any time and up to five years after the final payments of the EU contribution to the 
national programmes.  
EN 3   EN project 
Subtotal 2, amount committed 
for agreements and grants 7.587.586 7.570.248,99 
Total (subtotal 1 + subtotal 2)  64.055.808 53.342.555,09 
Figure 1 shows the rate of expenditure in percentage of each of the activities as 
grouped within the National Programmes. 43% of the expenditure went to the intensive air pollution monito ring in the 820 selected plots followed by a 32% for the 
studies and demonstration proj ects, 11% was spent in forest fires related activities 
and a relative low rate of the systematic  air pollution monitoring in the 6000 level I 
plots. A 5 % was spent for the coordi nation and management of the national 
programmes.  
Fig.1. Rate of expenditure per activ ity for the 4 year period 2003-2006 
Expenditure per activity 2003-2006
5%9%
43%11%32%coordination and management
systematic air pollution
monitoring
intensive air pollution monitoring
forest fires activities
studies and demonstrationprojects
 
Absolute final expenditure per MS and activity 
The final expenditure by Member State and by activity included in the national 
programmes is shown in figure 2. Most of the MS spent higher amounts in the 
intensive monitoring and less in the 16 x 16 km systematic network. Several MS 
used as well a considerable part of th e budget for drafting studies and demonstration 
projects.  
The higher absolute amount for a MS reached the 10 million € meanwhile, the 
minimum was a bit more than 130,000 € and the average around 1.9 million €.  
EN 4   EN Figure 2. Expenditure per MS and activity. 
Expenditure per MS and activity
0,002.000.000,004.000.000,006.000.000,008.000.000,0010.000.000,0012.000.000,00
AT BE CY CZ DE DK EE EL ES FI FR HU IRL IT LT LU LV NL PL PT SE SI SK UK
Member States€
coordination activities systematic monitoring
intensive monitoring forest fires prevention measures and EFFIS
studies and demonstration projects 
Studies and demonstration projects 
The studies and demonstration projects can  be grouped into 3 main categories; 
Biosoil, forest fires studi es and other studies. The Biosoil demonstration study 
included two modules: the biodiversity modul e and the soil module with data from 
both the level I and level II networks. 
Other studies include studies  on genetic diversity, biodive rsity indicators, carbon, 
pest management etc. 
Table 2. Breakdown of the costs for the studies and demonstration projects.  
C studies € committed € paid 
Biosoil  10.698.409,00 10.014.338,89 
Forest fire studies 2.327.587,00 1.208.019,37 
Other studies (biodive rsity, climate change, 
genetics, etc) 3.977.565,00 3.592.656,80 
Total 17.003.561  14.815.015,06 
EN 5   EN Forest fires activities 
Forest fire related activities such as prev entive works, awareness raising campaigns, 
trainings etc were performed in 13 MS. 5 million € have been spent in fire prevention measures, awareness raising campaigns, speci al trainings and EFFIS activities at the 
same time more than 1.2 million € has been spent in studies on forest fire causes, dynamics as well as on their impact s as shown in figures 3 and 4.  
Figure 3. Forest fires related expenditure. 
forest fires related expenditure
0,001.000.000,002.000.000,003.000.000,004.000.000,005.000.000,006.000.000,00
forest fire prevention measures, 
awareness raising campaigns, special
trainings and EFFIS activitiesforest fire studies on the causes,
dynamics of forest fires was well as on
their impacts on forests€
 
EN 6   EN Figure 4. Expenditure by MS for the fo rest fire preventi on activities 2003-2006 
B3 activities 
0,00200.000,00400.000,00600.000,00800.000,001.000.000,001.200.000,001.400.000,001.600.000,00
CY DE EE EL ES FI FR HU IT PL PT SI SK 
MS€ 
 
EN 7   EN Final consumption per 1000 ha of forest and other wooded land 
An assessment of the final consumption per MS divided by each MS forest and other 
wooded land area2 per 1000 ha is shown in figure 5. The total expenditure of the 
national programmes show that the higher amounts spent per 1000 ha of forest and 
other wooded land reached 2,250 € in Cypr us and the minimum amount accounted 
for less than 500 € in 16 MS. 
Figure 5. Final payments by 1000 ha of forest area per MS. 
final payments by total forest area per MS
0,00500,001.000,001.500,002.000,002.500,00
AT BE CY CZ DE DK EE EL ES FI FR HU IRL IT LT LU LV NL PL PT SE SI SK UK
MS€ per 1000 ha forest and OWL 
Series1
 
Consumption rate 
The consumption rate, calculated as th e final expenditure over the initial 
commitment, shows a high rate of implement ation of the scheme and a proper use of 
the committed funds. A considerable number of MS had a rate above an 80% meanwhile only 2 MS performed below the 50%. 
                                                
 
2 Key figures taken from the Green paper on forest protection and information SWD: SEC (2010) 163 
EN 8   EN Fig 6. Consumption rate of the natio nal programmes by Member State 2003-2006 
consumption rate (%)
0,0020,0040,0060,0080,00100,00120,00
ATBECYCZDEDKEEELESFIFRHUIRLITLTLULVNLPLPTSESISKUK
Member StateConsumption rate (%)
consumption rate (%)
 
Relative share of expenditure 
The analysis of the relative share of expend iture per type of activity and MS is shown 
in figure 7. It is observed that from the activities included in the national programmes 
the intensive monitoring with the studies and demonstration projects took a great part 
of the funds. Only some MS used the Fore st Focus scheme for forest fires related 
activities but for some of them it constituted a very important part of their national programmes (i.e. Cyprus, Greece, Sp ain, Hungary, Italy and Portugal). 
EN 9   EN Fig. 7. Relative share of expe nditure by type of activity. 
Relative share of expenditure by type of activity
0%20%40%60%80%100%
ATBECYCZDEDKEEELESFIFRHUIRLITLTLULVNLPLPTSESISKUK
Member States%
coordination activities Level I monitoring
Level II monitoring forest fires activ ities
studies and demonstration projects
 
EN 10   EN Annex 1. National codes used in Forest Fo cus as designated by the Member States. 
MS Country  Region  MS Country  Region  
AT Austria National  EL Greece National  
BE-FL Belgium  Flemish Region  ES Spain  National  
BE-WL Belgium  Walloon Region  FI Finland National  
CY Cyprus  National  FR France  National  
CZ Czech 
Republic  National  HU Hungary  National  
DK Denmark National  IE Ireland National  
DE-BFH Germany  Federal Level IT Italy National  
DE-BB Germany  Brandenburg LT Lithuania  National  
DE-BE Germany Berlin LV Latvia National  
DE-BW Germany  Baden- 
Württemberg  LU Luxembourg National  
DE-BY Germany  Bayern  NL The 
Netherlands  National  
DE-HE Germany  Hessen PL  Poland National  
DE-MV Germany  Mecklenburg -
Vorpommern  PT-AZ Portugal  Azores 
DE-NI Germany  Niedersachsen  PT-C  Portugal  Continent  
DE-NRW Germany  Nordrhein-
Westfalen  SE Sweden National  
DE-RP Germany  Rheinland- Pfalz SI Slovenia  National  
DE-SAAR Germany  Saarland SE Sweden National  
DE-SH Germany  Schleswig 
Holstein SK  Slovakia National  
EN 11   EN DE-SN Germany  Sachsen  UK  United 
Kingdom  National  
DE-ST Germany  Sachsen-Anhalt    
DE-TH Germany  Thüringen     
EE Estonia National     
EN 12   EN Annex 2 List of Forest Focus studies  and demonstration projects 2003-2006: 
MS Description 
DK Forest Biota (Forest Biodiversity Test-phase Assessments)  
http://www.forestbiota.or g/
DK Synthesis of litterfall monitoring in Denmark 1985-2006 
SE Biodiversity indicators in national forest inventories  
http://www.resgeom.slu.se/resana /projekt/common/default.htm  
(Com Mon) comparison and evaluati on of methods for monitoring of 
deadwood, vegetation, epiphytic lichens and stand structure in European 
forests 
SE Collection of precipitation in winter 
AT Soil-bio-Params – analysis of basi c soil parameters, effects on soil 
storage  
AT Biodiversity indicators in national forest inve ntories - review and 
monitoring and assessing fo rest structure as an i ndicator of biodiversity 
in NFI 
EL Forest Biota 
FI monitoring biodiversity in boreal forests 
FI Monitoring changes in the car bon stocks of forest soils 
FI The role of under-storey vegetation, forest  litterfall and fore st floor in the 
carbon and nitrogen fluxes of borea l coniferous forest ecosystems 
FI Laboratory ring test for deposition and soil solution 
FI Forest Biota 
ES Ozone monitoring coordination - webs ite of ozone injury on European 
forests ecosystems: http://www.ozoneinjury.org/   
ES Forest Biota 
ES Forest fire causes, motivation of  forest arson fires in Spain 
http://www.fire.uni-f reiburg.de/sevilla-
2007/contributions/doc/SESIONES_ TEMATICAS/ST4/Barroso_Gonzal
ez_SPAIN_EURAL.pdf   
EN 13   EN IT forest fire causes 
IT Canadian fire weather index  
IT Ozone flux  
IT Working ring test 
IT HARMODEPO 
IT ForestBiota 
IT GMO and Biodiversity  
IT Biorefugia - response of tree species to climate change 
IT Carbon flux 
PT forest fire causes in continental Portugal  
PT Implementing an operational methodol ogy for biodiversity monitoring in 
Portuguese forests http://www.isa.utl.pt/ceabn/cont ent/2/155/implemen ting-operational-
methodology-biodiversity-monito ring-portuguese-forests/   
PT Forest Biota 
UK Use of tree nurseries for m onitoring visible ozone injury 
UK Quality assurance - crown condition  
UK Improvement of modelling of catchment water dynamics 
D-BFH ForestBiota 
D-BY Soil respiration  
D-BY genetic characterisati on of beech forest stands 
D-BW carbon stocks - soil 
D-BW Small scale variability of humus types 
D-BB Simulation model carbon balance 
D-BB Regionalization of soil change due  to a lowering of the water table 
D-BB Fine root invent ory on soil profile pit 
EN 14   EN D-BB genetic diversity 
D-NW monitoring epiphytic lichens 
D-NW carbon stocks monitoring 
D-HE genetic diversity - beech stands 
D-HE litterfall and carbon cycles 
D-HE carbon stocks - soil 
D-NI carbon stocks - soil 
D-NI carbon flux 
D-NI working ring test 
D-SH epiphyte monitoring  
D-SN regionalisati on of soil data  
D-SN epiphyte monitoring  
D-SN forest fire - ecol ogical and economic impacts 
D-RP remote sensing - habitats and structures 
D-RP genetic diversity - beech stands 
NL Assessment of the relative importa nce of N deposition, climate change 
and forest management on the sequ estration of carbon by forests in 
Europe (predicting changes in fore st growth and carbon sequestration) 
FR forest fire - moisture conten t of Mediterranean wildland fuels 
FR forest fire - fire ignition 
FR fungal pathogens 
FR integrated pest management through monitoring 
FR humus sampling 
FR forest soil biodiversity 
FR fungi and lichens monitoring 
EN 15   EN FR Working ring test 
BE-VL forest soil biodiversity 
BE-VL forest soil survey design and harmonisation  
BE-WA ENFIN - National Forest Inventories 
EL  Economic evaluation 
FR Moisture content wild land fuels 
FR Valorisation geographical Information 
FR Forest fires and biodiversity 
HU Development of public relations 
IT Identification causes, dynamic 
IT Assessing fire risk Molise 
IT Methodology fire dynamic 
PL Assessing fire risk and spread 
PL Prevention by road firebelts 
PT - cont Forest fire prevention 
 Biosoil soil module 
 Biosoil biodiversity module 
Annex 3. Studies coordinated by the Joint Research Centre 
Studies coordinated by the JRC 
 
Support to the technical coor dination of the Biosoil proj ect and central laboratory 
Climate change impact and carbon se questration in European forests 
Development of a simple and efficient method field assessment of forest fire severity 
Use of National Forest Inventories to dow nscale European forest diversity spatial 
information in five test areas, covering diffe rent geo-physical and ge o botanical conditions 
EN 16   EN Harmonizing NFI in Europe 
Development of harmonised indicators a nd estimation procedures for forests with 
protective functions against natura l hazards in the alpine space 
Linking and harmonizing the forests spatial patt erns analyses at European, National and 
Regional scales for a better ch aracterization of the forests vulnerability and resilience 
Elaboration of a field guide of the forest m onitoring in the context of the F Focus Reg. and 
evaluation of the field sampling schemes 
http://forest.jrc.ec.europa.eu/studi es-a-research-projects/forest-focus