Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament - Reporting on the implementation of the EU Forestry Strategy {SEC(2005) 333}
Date: 2005-03-10
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU action, forest conservation, forestry policy, silviculture

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 10.3.2005 
COM(2005) 84 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 
TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

Reporting on the implementation of the EU Forestry Strategy 

{SEC(2005) 333} 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
 
  
1. 

INTRODUCTION 

The  present  Communication  responds  to  the  request  of  the  European  Council  to  the 
Commission to present an implementation report of the EU Forestry Strategy. In preparing this 
report,  the  Commission  carried  out  extensive  consultations  with  the  Member  States  and 
stakeholders via the Standing Forestry Committee, the Advisory Group on Forestry and Cork, 
including an internet-based stakeholder consultation. 

This Communication presents the main conclusions of the analysis as well as emerging issues 
affecting  forests  and  forestry,  and  outlines  possible  actions  for  the  future.  The  Commission 
Staff  Working  Document,  which  is  attached  to  the  Communication,  provides  a  detailed 
description  of  the  actions  and  activities  implemented  in  the  context  of  the  EU  Forestry 
Strategy in the period 1999–2004. 

2. 

THE EU FOREST SECTOR 

The EU forest sector is characterised by a great diversity of forest types, extent of forest cover, 
ownership  structure  and  socio-economic  conditions.  In  total,  forests  and  other  wooded  land 
occupy  some  160  million  ha  or  35%  of  the  EU’s  land  area.  Moreover,  as  a  result  of 
afforestation programmes and due to the natural succession of vegetation, forest cover in the 
EU is increasing. 

EU  forests  are  situated  in  very  different  ecological  environments,  ranging  from  boreal  to 
Mediterranean, and from alpine to lowlands. Of all biotopes in Europe, forests are home to the 
largest  number  of  species  on  the  continent  and  provide  important  environmental  functions, 
such as the conservation of biodiversity and the protection of water and soil. Approximately 
12%  of  the  forest  area  is  designated  as  protected  forests.  Forests  contribute  to  scenic  and 
cultural values, and support other activities, such as recreation, hunting and tourism. 

About  60%  of  the  forests  in  the  EU  are  in  private  ownership,  with  about  15  million  private 
forest  owners.  Private  forest  holdings  have  an  average  size  of  13  ha,  but  the  majority  of 
privately-owned forests are less than 3 ha in size. 

The EU is one of the largest producers, traders and consumers of forest products in the world. 
Forestry  and  forest-based  and  related  industries  employ  about  3.4  million  people,  with  an 
annual production value of about EUR 356 billion (2001). Average annual timber production 
in the EU amounts to almost 400 million m3, with only slightly over 60% of the annual forest 
growth being harvested. The economic and social importance of forestry in rural areas tends to 
be underestimated, as those working in forestry often are self-employed individuals or small 
enterprises  and  their  activities  are  commonly  coupled  with  those  of  other  economic  sectors. 
Besides  wood  and  cork,  forests  produce  other  products,  such  as  resins,  medicinal  plants, 
mushrooms and berries. 

Forest protection is a constant concern in the EU. Biotic factors and grazing are main causes of 
forest damage. Other major factors affecting forests are air pollution, storms and forest fires. 
EU  legislation  has  led  to  considerable  improvement  of  air  quality,  but  the  deposition  of  air 
pollutants is still a concern. Heavy storms have caused severe damage to vast forest areas in 
recent  years.  About  0.5  million  ha  of  forests  and  other  wooded  land  are  burned  every  year, 
predominantly in the Mediterranean countries. 

EN 

2 

   EN 

 
The recent enlargement of the EU to 25 Member States has led to a substantial expansion of 
the  EU  forest  sector,  both  in  terms  of  forest  area  (20%)  and  in  terms  of  productive  and 
ecological  potential.  Many  of  the  new  Member  States  have  restored  ownership  rights  and/or 
privatised  forest  land  and  other  forest-related  assets,  including  some  previously  state-run 
activities  in  forest  management.  Nevertheless,  the  proportion  of  publicly  owned  forests 
remains higher in the 10 new Member States than in the former EU-15. 

3. 

THE EU FORESTRY STRATEGY 

The Council Resolution of 15 December 1998 on a Forestry Strategy for the European Union1 
established a framework for forest-related actions in support of sustainable forest management 
(SFM), based on the co-ordination of the forest policies of the Member States and Community 
policies and initiatives relevant to forests and forestry. It takes into account the commitments 
made by the EU and its Member States in the relevant international processes, in particular the 
UN  Conference  on  Environment  and  Development  in  1992  (UNCED)  and  its  follow-up 
conferences,  and  the  Ministerial  Conferences  on  the  Protection  of  Forests  in  Europe 
(MCPFE)2. 

The Strategy emphasises the importance of the multifunctional role of forests and SFM for the 
development of society, and identifies a series of key elements,  which  form the basis for its 
implementation. It states  that forest policy lies in the competence of the Member States, but 
that the EU can contribute to the implementation of SFM through common policies, based on 
the  principle  of  subsidiarity  and  the  concept  of  shared  responsibility.  It  also  emphasises  the 
implementation  of  international  commitments,  principles  and  recommendations  through 
national or sub-national forest programmes or equivalent instruments, and active participation 
in  all  forest-related  international  processes,  and  stresses  the  need  to  improve  co-ordination, 
communication and co-operation in all policy areas of relevance to the forest sector. 

4. 

TAKING STOCK OF IMPLEMENTATION 

The  context  for  forest  policy  in  the  EU  has  evolved  significantly  since  1998,  both  through 
decisions directly affecting the forest sector and through changes in the broader policy setting. 

The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), held in Johannesburg in 2002, put 
forests  firmly  into  the  context  of  sustainable  development.  At  Pan-European  level,  the 
Declaration and Resolutions of the 4th Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in 
Europe  (Vienna,  2003),  have  set  out  common  concepts  and  definitions,  and  a  series  of 
coherent actions for the protection and sustainable management of forests. 

At EU level, the adoption of the 6th Community Environment Action Programme in 2002 and 
the  reform  of  the  CAP  in  2003,  which  has  strengthened  rural  development  policy,  are 
important developments with implications for the forest policies of the Member States. 

Changes in the broader policy context include the Lisbon and Gothenburg strategies, and EU 
enlargement. Finally, the new Constitutional Treaty, which is currently being ratified, provides 
no change in the approach to forest policy in the EU. 

1 
2 

OJ C56, 26.2.1999, p. 1. 
Strasbourg 1990, Helsinki 1993, Lisbon 1998 and Vienna 2003. 

EN 

3 

   EN 

 
                                                 
4.1. 

The international forest-policy debate 

The WSSD addressed a number of issues relevant to forestry and confirmed that SFM can play 
a  key  role  in  achieving  the  wider  objectives,  targets  and  principles  agreed  in  Johannesburg. 
Given the role of forests in ensuring environmental sustainability and the large number of the 
poor  that  depend  on  them  for  a  livelihood,  forests  have  an  important  role  to  play  in  the 
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. 

The European Community and its Member States have played an active role in the UN Forum 
on  Forests  (UNFF),  which  was  established  in  2000,  and  have  committed  themselves  to 
implementing  provisions  of  other  international  agreements,  conventions  and  protocols,  such 
as:  UNFCCC3  and  its  Kyoto  Protocol,  CBD4,  UNCCD5,  ITTO6,  and  CITES7.  However, 
despite the progress made at international level in discussing issues such as certification and 
forest  law  enforcement,  high  rates  of  deforestation  and  forest  degradation  continue  in  many 
parts of the world. 

Responding to growing societal concern, the European Commission has taken up the challenge 
of  tackling  illegal  logging  through  the  adoption  of  the  Action  Plan  on  Forest  Law 
Enforcement,  Governance  and  Trade  (FLEGT)8,  and  more  recently  through  a  legislative 
proposal on FLEGT.9 

At the Pan-European level, the MCPFE has become a well established process, through which 
European countries and the European Community have developed comprehensive guidelines 
for forest policy, and strengthened co-ordination and co-operation. 

Moreover, collaborative research both in Europe and internationally has mobilised European 
and Partner Countries’ competencies to produce scientifically validated knowledge in support 
of implementation of associated policy recommendations. 

4.2. 

Sustainable forest management in the EU 

During the period of implementation of the Strategy, the EU has made progress in putting into 
place new and improved instruments to promote the protection and sustainable management of 
forests.  This  section  summarises  the  developments  in  forest  policy  at  national  level  and  the 
forest-related actions at Community level. 

4.2.1.  National forest programmes 

Substantial  progress  has  been  achieved  in  the  preparation  and  implementation  of  national 
forest programmes (NFPs) in the EU. A common approach to NFPs has been developed in the 
context of the MCPFE, with the aim of establishing a social and political framework for SFM, 
based on participatory and transparent governance, and in line with international forest-related 
commitments. 

3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 

UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. 
Convention on Biological Diversity. 
UN Convention to Combat Desertification. 
International Tropical Timber Organisation. 
The Convention on Trade in Endangered Species. 
COM(2003) 251 final. 
COM(2004) 515 final. 

EN 

4 

   EN 

 
                                                 
The NFPs address issues such as the productive function of forests and the economic viability 
of  sustainable  forest  management,  the  contribution  of  forestry  to  rural  development,  the 
protection  and  enhancement  of  biodiversity  in  forests,  climate  change  mitigation,  the 
protective  functions  of  forests,  and  social,  recreational  and  cultural  aspects.  Although  the 
programmes have similar aims, they vary in terms of their focus, reflecting the socio-economic 
and ecological diversity of the European forests. 

NFPs  also  provide  a  reference  framework  for  monitoring  progress  in  implementing  forest-
related Community measures and initiatives, and in measuring and assessing the added value 
of specific Community actions in this area. 

In  their  NFPs,  countries  stress  the  need  to  improve  cross-sectoral  co-operation.  Efforts  still 
need  to  be  made  to  ensure  that  the  national  forest  programmes  are  fully  embedded  in  the 
national sustainable development strategies, and that they address all relevant issues and enjoy 
the support of all stakeholders. 

4.2.2.  Community actions in support of sustainable forest management 

Community actions carried out in support of SFM cover several major fields of activity: rural 
development,  forest  protection  and  monitoring,  biodiversity,  climate  change,  forest-based 
products,  forest  certification,  research,  forest  information  and  communication,  and  forest 
reproductive material and plant health. 

The rural development policy has been the main instrument for the implementation of the EU 
Forestry  Strategy  at  Community  level.  Financial  support  from  the  Community  for  forestry 
measures  in  the  context  of  rural  development  amounts  to  EUR  4.8  billion  for  the  period 
2000–2006 (almost 10% of the rural development budget). The EU rural development policy 
is based on an integrated territorial approach, which recognises the interdependence of sectoral 
and  horizontal  policies,  acknowledges  regionally  and  locally  distinctive  characteristics  and 
priorities, and puts emphasis on the active involvement and participation of local communities. 

The  Commission  proposal  to  reinforce  the  EU’s  rural  development  policy  for  the  period 
2007–201310 provides a basis for a fuller integration of forestry into rural development. One 
way of achieving this would be by enhancing the consistency between rural development and 
national forest programmes, exchanging information and best practices on the use of forestry 
measures, and improving the monitoring and evaluation of forestry measures with respect to 
the broader aims of the rural development policy. 

The Community measures to support the protection of forests against fires11 and atmospheric 
pollution12 have yielded a considerable amount of information and operational developments. 
These  actions  have  fostered  co-operation  between  EU  countries  in  these  areas.  However, 
atmospheric  pollution  and  forest  fires  continue  to  be  a  major  concern.  The  Commission  has 
recently  set  up  an  expert  group  to  analyse  forest  fire  prevention  at  Community  level  and  to 
make recommendations for future actions. Moreover, the Forest Focus Regulation13 adopted in 
2003  provides  an  opportunity  for  the  EU  to  develop  a  comprehensive  and  integrated  forest 
monitoring system, including new parameters on soils, biodiversity and climate change. Such 
a system could eventually also address socio-economic aspects of forests and forestry and lead 
to a better integration of national forest databases into an EU-wide monitoring and reporting 

10 
11 
12 
13 

COM(2004) 490 final. 
Council Regulation (EEC) No 2158/92. 
Council Regulation (EEC) No 3528/86. 
Regulation (EC) No 2152/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council 

EN 

5 

   EN 

 
                                                 
system. The criteria and indicators of SFM developed in the context of the MCPFE should be 
considered in this respect. 

An important EU achievement in the area of biodiversity conservation is the implementation 
of  the  Natura  2000  network.  Many  Member  States  have  adapted  guidelines  for  the 
management  of  forests  to  favour  biodiversity  conservation  and  promote  the  provision  of 
environmental  services  through  forest  management.  An  ecologically  representative  forest 
conservation  network  within  Natura  2000  and  the  simultaneous  promotion  of  biodiversity 
enhancement  in  commercial  forest  stands  are  likely  to  be  an  effective  way  of  reaching  the 
biodiversity  conservation  goals.  However,  the  need  to  map,  study  and  monitor  forest 
biodiversity both inside and outside protected areas remains. 

Although the role of the forest sector in climate mitigation was confirmed by the rules of the 
Kyoto Protocol agreed since the adoption of the Strategy, development of dedicated measures 
for  carbon  sequestration,  including  afforestation  and  reforestation,  has  been  slower  than 
expected. Wood can play an important role as a provider of biomass energy to offset fossil fuel 
emissions,  in  line  with  the  EU  directives  on  renewable  energy  sources,  and  as  an 
environmentally  friendly  material.  The  use  of  biomass  for  energy  purposes  has  not  yet  been 
developed  to  its  full  potential  in  the  EU  and  it  should  be ensured  that  in  doing  so  no  undue 
distortions of competition are created. In the future, wood may also play an important role as 
carbon reservoir. 

There is also an emerging need to evaluate the impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems 
and to develop measures to adapt to these impacts. In the future, not only mitigation measures 
(reduction  of  greenhouse  gases)  but  also  adaptation  measures  (adaptation  of  forests  to  a 
changed climate) will need to be considered. 

A broad range of actions related to the enhanced use of wood and the competitiveness of the 
forest-based and related industries have been carried out in the context of the Communication 
on  the  State  of  Competitiveness  of  the  EU  Forest-based  and  Related  Industries  adopted  in 
1999. The Commission has recently completed an evaluation of this Communication. One of 
the results is that the European consumer should be better informed about the advantages of 
wood from sustainably managed forests as a renewable and environmentally friendly resource, 
and that there is a  need for creating  an enabling environment,  within which  the  forest-based 
industries can enhance their competitiveness and foster timber use. 

Certification  has  been  one  of  the  tools  to  encourage  the  sustainability  of  forest  management 
and allow consumers  to discriminate  positively in favour of wood products originating from 
sustainably  managed  forests.  So  far,  certification  has  developed  as  a  private-sector,  market-
based tool, with limited regulatory intervention by public authorities. 

Substantial  research  efforts  have  been  made  under  the  Community  Research  Framework 
Programmes  and  COST14  to  support  and  further  develop  SFM,  and  to  enhance  the 
competitiveness  of  the  forest  sector.  The  forest  sector  should  pro-actively  contribute  to  the 
Lisbon objectives. In order to do so, sector-wide strategic thinking is necessary, underpinned 
by  a  broad  and  long-term  vision  determining  the  scope  of  and  the  priorities  for  forestry 
research. 

14 

European co-operation in the field of scientific and technical research. 

EN 

6 

   EN 

 
                                                 
Building on the results of a pilot project, the Commission launched a preparatory action for the 
development  of  an  internet-based  forest  information  and  communication  platform  in  2004. 
This action needs to be accompanied by an examination of the specific user requirements and 
an assessment of the limitations related to existing national data sources. 

Plant  health  and  the  quality  of  forest  reproductive  material  are  of  vital  importance  for  the 
productive capacity of forests in the EU. Over the last few years legislation has been adopted 
to ensure a more harmonised implementation of a number of key aspects of EU legislation on 
the marketing of forest reproductive material. 

Not  only  living  plants,  but  also  wood  imported  from  third  countries  into  the  Community 
constitute a serious risk of introduction of harmful pests and diseases. In 2004, new and more 
stringent provisions to address these risks were introduced into the already existing acquis. 

4.3. 

Co-ordination, communication and co-operation 

Throughout  the  implementation  of  the  Strategy,  co-ordination  with  the  Member  States  and 
consultation  with  stakeholders  have  been  channelled  through  the  existing  administrative 
structures,  in  particular  the  management  and  consultative  committees,  which  advise  the 
Commission, provide opinions and promote the exchange of information. 

The  Standing  Forestry  Committee  (SFC)  has  carried  out  its  management  function  for  the 
specific  regulations  on  forest  protection  and  monitoring.  The  SFC  has  also  played  an 
important role  as an ad hoc consultation forum on forest-related issues. Regular information 
exchange, co-operation and co-ordination with forestry stakeholders have taken place through 
the Advisory Group on Forestry and Cork, and the Advisory Committee on Community Policy 
Regarding Forestry and Forest-based Industries. 

An important step was taken at the end of 2001, when the Commission established an Inter-
Service  Group  on  Forestry  to  strengthen  co-ordination  on  forest-related  issues  between  the 
various services responsible for the relevant Community policies. 

Regarding  the  international  arena,  the  Member  States  and  the  Commission  co-ordinate  their 
positions  prior  to  forest-related  international  meetings  in  the  Council  Working  Party  on 
Forestry. The Working Party also deals with forest-relevant Community policy and legislative 
initiatives of a global dimension, including the FLEGT initiative. 

Despite  these  activities,  there  have  been  persistent  requests  from  Member  States  and 
stakeholders to review the basic set-up for co-ordination, communication and co-operation, in 
view of the emerging challenges and the changing policy context. 

5. 

THE  WAY  FORWARD  –  AN  EU  ACTION  PLAN  FOR  SUSTAINABLE  FOREST 
MANAGEMENT 

Overall, the basic principles and elements identified in 1998 in the EU Forestry Strategy are 
still  valid.  SFM  and  the  multifunctional  role  of  forests  remain  the  overarching  common 
principles;  national  forest  programmes  provide  a  suitable  framework  for  implementing  these 
principles; and there is widespread recognition of the increasing need to take global and cross-
sectoral issues into account in forest policy. 

The  experiences  gained  in  the  implementation  period  show  that  forests  and  forestry  can 
contribute to the Lisbon objectives of sustainable economic growth and competitiveness, and 
to  the  Gothenburg  objectives  of  safeguarding  the  quantity  and  the  quality  of  the  natural 

EN 

7 

   EN 

 
resource base. However, in order to maintain and maximise this contribution in the future, the 
Strategy and its implementation process need to be placed within the newly emerging policy 
context. 

Firstly, even if the different measures implemented over the last years have led to progress in 
the  sustainable  management  of  forests,  the  competitiveness  and  economic  viability  of  forest 
management in the EU – based on a multipurpose approach, simultaneously serving economic, 
social  and  environmental  objectives  –  is  increasingly  being  challenged  in  the  context  of  an 
open  and  global  market.  Most  forest  owners  have  few  possibilities  to  realise  economies  of 
scale.  Forest  owners  provide  a  wide  range  of  goods  and  services  to  society,  although  they 
largely  rely  on  wood  sales  for  revenue.  To  satisfy  the  growing  public  interest  in  the 
management  of  forests  for  their  environmental  and  social  benefits  requires,  in  many  cases, 
changes  in  management  practices  that  may  reduce  the  economic  viability  of  forestry.  If  the 
tradition  of  multipurpose  forestry  in  the  EU  is  to  be  maintained,  these  issues  need  to  be 
addressed in the future. 

Secondly,  while  the  EU  Forestry  Strategy  is  based  on  subsidiarity  and  shared  responsibility, 
there  are  a  number  of  EU  policies  and  initiatives  that  affect  forests  and  forestry.  There  is  a 
need  to  strengthen  coherence  between  EU  policies,  as  well  as  co-ordination  between  the 
Commission and the Member States, and to establish adequate monitoring mechanisms for the 
implementation  of  the  Strategy,  so  that  the  various  functions  of  forests  and  their  links  with 
other policies are addressed in a coherent way in the policy formation process. 

Thirdly,  all  stakeholders  concerned  with  forests  and  forestry  stress  the  importance  of  good 
governance  for  the  protection  and  sustainable  management  of  forests.  A  participatory  and 
collaborative approach to policy formulation and implementation is a pre-condition for good 
governance. There is a need to review and strengthen the consultation structures in forestry at 
Community  and  national  level,  in  order  to  facilitate  transparency  in  decision-making  and  a 
structured dialogue with all stakeholders. 

And last, but not least, the global importance of forests for sustainable development, including 
their  climate  change  and  biodiversity  dimensions,  is  being  increasingly  acknowledged.  The 
EU  should  firmly  continue  to  support  the  international  commitments  for  the  sustainable 
management of forests at global level. In this respect, the decision on the future international 
arrangement on forests, which will be taken at the 5th session of the UNFF in May 2005, will 
be significant. 

In providing a reference framework for forest-related policies, initiatives and actions, the EU 
Forestry Strategy has changed the way forest-related issues are discussed today. However, the 
changes  in  the  policy  context  suggest  that  a  more  coherent  and  pro-active  approach  to 
governing the Union’s forest resources is needed in the future. 

Such  an  approach  should  be  based  on  a  shared  vision  of  the  EU’s  forest  sector  and  the 
challenges it faces at global, Community and national levels, and on a shared understanding of 
what forests and forestry can contribute to modern society. It should encompass a set of clear 
objectives that can provide a basis for regular monitoring and stocktaking, and bring together 
the thematic, horizontal and cross-sectoral policy initiatives at Community and national level 
in  a  structured  framework  to  encourage  better  and  more  effective  co-ordination  and 
consultation, and promote the flow of information among the various actors concerned. 

EN 

8 

   EN 

 
The Commission believes that the development of an EU Action Plan for Sustainable Forest 
Management  could  provide  such  a  framework.  An  Action  Plan  could  provide  the  necessary 
impetus to transform the EU Forestry Strategy into a dynamic process capable of responding 
to the newly emerging policy context and delivering outcomes consistent with the Lisbon and 
the Gothenburg Strategies. 

Therefore, after reviewing the implementation of the EU Forestry Strategy, the Commission is 
proposing to the European Council that it will: 

1. 

2. 

Develop  an  EU  Action  Plan  for  Sustainable  Forest  Management,  which  should 
provide  a  coherent  framework  for  the  implementation  of  forest-related  actions  and 
serve  as  an  instrument  of  co-ordination  between  Community  actions  and  the  forest 
policies  of  the  Member  States.  The  list  of  actions  to  be  taken  at  Community  and 
national  levels  should  cover,  but  not  be  limited  to,  the  following  elements  and 
domains: socio-economic issues (competitiveness of forestry, valuation of social and 
environmental  goods  and  services);  environmental  issues  (climate  change,  forest 
fires,  water,  biodiversity  conservation);  use  of  wood  as  energy  source;  information 
about wood as a renewable and environmentally friendly resource; governance issues; 
horizontal  activities  (research,  training,  forest  statistics,  monitoring);  and  co-
ordination,  communication  and  co-operation.  The  international  dimension  of  these 
issues should also be addressed. 

Review  the  existing  Community  means  and  practices  to  facilitate  co-ordination, 
communication  and  co-operation  between  different  policy  sectors,  which  have  an 
influence on forestry, in the light of the increasing complexity of forest policy and of 
the  decision-making  processes.  This 
include  Council 
Decision 89/367/EEC of 29 May 1989 setting up the Standing Forestry Committee15, 
and the role this body should play in the implementation of the Action Plan. 

review  will  also 

The Commission proposes to present the Action Plan in 2006. 

15 

OJ L 165, 15.6.1989, p. 14  

EN 

9 

   EN