Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the  Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament — Reporting on the implementation of the EU Forestry Strategy (COM(2005) 84 final)
Date: 2005-10-26
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: EU policy, forest conservation, forestry policy, sustainable forest management

3.2.2006

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Communication from the
Commission to the Council and the European Parliament — Reporting on the implementation of
the EU Forestry Strategy’

(COM(2005) 84 final)

(2006/C 28/11)

On 17 March 2005, the Commission decided to consult the European Economic and Social Committee,
under Article 262 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the abovementioned proposal.

The Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, which was responsible for preparing
the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 7 October 2005. The rapporteur was
Mr Kallio. The co-rapporteur was Mr Wilms.

At its 421st plenary session, held on 26 and 27 October 2005 (meeting of 26 October 2005), the European
Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 97 votes in favour with 1 abstention.

1. Introduction

The EC Treaty does not provide for a common forestry

1.1
policy, nor does the proposal for a new constitutional Treaty.

1.2
The European Commission published a communication
on a forestry strategy for the EU on 18 November 1998. On
15 December 1998 the EU Council of Ministers adopted a reso-
lution on the Union's forestry strategy based on the Commis-
sion communication.

The Council identified sustainable management and use
1.3
forests — as defined by the ministerial conference on
of
forestry held in Helsinki in 1993 — and the multifunctional
role of forests as key elements of the common forestry strategy,
serving as a general basis for action.

1.4
Other key principles of the forestry strategy are subsi-
diarity, according to which responsibility for forestry policy lies
with the Member States, and the possibility for the Community
to contribute to the achievement of sustainable management
and use of forests and the multifunctional role of forests, wher-
ever Community-level action can bring added value.

1.5
The European Economic and Social Committee issued
an own-initiative additional opinion on EU forestry policy on 9
December 1999.

1.6
In its resolution, the Council called upon the Commis-
sion to report to it within five years on the implementation of
the EU forestry strategy.

1.7
The Commission issued its communication on imple-
mentation of the EU forestry strategy on 10 March 2005. A
Staff Working Document is attached to the communication
which contains a detailed description of the actions and activ-
ities implemented in the context of the EU Forestry Strategy
during the period 1999–2004.

implementation and

The Committee endorses the general

1.8
the
Commission communication, especially with regard to enhan-
coordination. The
cing
Committee believes it is important to implement the Commis-
sion's proposed action plan for sustainable forest management
without delay.

improving

thrust of

2. Implementing the EU forestry strategy

2.1 Changes in the operating environment

2.1.1
Challenges facing the EU forestry sector and forestry
policy have been affected since 1998 by many changes in the
policy context; the Commission communication highlights EU
enlargement, adoption of EU strategic policy objectives and
forestry and environment
developments in the international
policy framework.

2.1.2 With enlargement, EU forest area increased by about
20 %, forest resources by about 30 % and the number of forest
owners from 12 million to 16 million.
is necessary to
increase
for promoting sustainable
forestry in the new Member States; developing private owner-
ship structures and institutional structures present a particular
challenge.

institutional

capacity

It

At the sustainable development summit in Johannes-
2.1.3
burg in 2002 the importance of sustainable forestry was high-
lighted as a sustainable development resource and a way of
helping to achieve the Millennium Development Goals more
generally. The summit approved an action plan which is
binding on governments and which included a number of deci-
sions relating to forests.

The EU forestry sector has had to face an increasingly
2.1.4
globalised market for forest products and a highly concentrated
forestry industry requiring more efficient timber production
than before.

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2.1.5
Forests have a significant role and provide many bene-
fits for society. At the same time, sustainable use of forests and
the environmental services provided by them have become
more and more important. In particular the international envir-
onment agreements signed by the EU and its Member States
have created new challenges for forestry.

2.1.6
The Lisbon European Council (March 2000) approved
a new strategic goal for the EU, namely to become the most
competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy, capable
of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and
greater social cohesion. The Gothenburg European Council
(June 2001) approved the EU sustainable development strategy,
complementing the Lisbon strategy, which requires dealing
with economic, social and environmental policies in a mutually
reinforcing way.

2.1.7 Many EU policies, laws and measures have a direct or
indirect impact on forestry. Their compatibility and comple-
mentarity with EU forestry strategy and its implementation
have not been evaluated.

2.2 The European Union and international forestry policy

In its resolution, the Council noted in relation to the
2.2.1
forestry strategy that
the Community should be actively
involved in implementing the resolutions of the ministerial
conference on forestry and participate pro-actively in interna-
tional discussion and negotiations on forestry-related issues, in
particular the United Nations Intergovernmental Forum on
Forests.

In its 1999 opinion,

the European Economic and
2.2.2
Social Committee noted that the EU should provide strong
support for the establishment of a global, legally binding instru-
ment for the management, conservation and sustainable devel-
opment of every kind of
forest, which complies with the
forestry principles agreed at Rio. This objective is still relevant
from the point of view of the internationalisation of trade in
forest products, the globalisation of the forestry industry, the
continuing loss of forests and the need to protect the rights of
local populations that depend on forests.

importance.

2.2.3
To prevent illegal logging and selling of timber, the
Commission has adopted the Forest Law Enforcement, Govern-
ance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan and a legislative proposal
on setting up the FLEGT authorisation system. The Committee
considers the prevention of illegal logging and illegal selling of
timber to be of utmost
logging causes
serious environmental, economic and social damage, and
timber from illegal logging distorts trade in timber products.
However, as far as preventing illegal logging is concerned, the
emphasis should primarily be on measures that can be taken in
collaboration with timber-producing countries to tighten up
administrative processes and improve law enforcement. This is
the best way of taking into account national social factors and
influences on the living conditions and welfare of communities
dependent on forests, for example. Particular attention should

Illegal

be paid to protecting original natural forests and their diversity.
Clarification of land-use rights is an essential part of efforts to
reduce illegal logging. The proposed authorisation scheme does
not obviate the need to tighten up these measures.

The impact of

2.2.4
international economic, social and
environment policy and UN environmental agreements on EU
forests and the framework for forestry activities has increased.
Under the UN Convention on Biodiversity, an extended work
programme on forest biodiversity was adopted in 2002. Under
the UN Convention on Climate Change there was agreement
on the role of forests as carbon sinks in preventing climate
change. The Kyoto Protocol
in particular has presented the
forestry sector with both new challenges and opportunities.
Sustainable forestry can significantly affect the fulfilment of
obligations imposed by international environmental agree-
ments. This requires that the EU adopt a coordinated and
convergent approach in international environment, economic
and social policy and its own policies, one that strikes a
balance between the various dimensions of sustainable forestry
and respects the diverse uses of forests.

2.2.5
At pan-European level, the Ministerial Conference on
the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE) is the most impor-
tant forum for discussing forestry policy, and has been able to
create an effective framework for promoting forest manage-
ment and use which are sustainable in economic, ecological,
social and cultural terms.

2.3 EU forestry strategy and Member States' national forestry poli-

cies

It was agreed at

2.3.1
The 4th Ministerial Conference on the Protection of
Forests in Europe (held in Vienna on 28-30 April 2003)
emphasised the importance of national forestry programmes in
developing cooperation between the forestry sector and other
the ministerial conference that a
sectors.
national
a participatory,
holistic, intersectoral and iterative process of policy planning,
implementation, monitoring and evaluation at
the national
and/or subnational
in order to proceed towards the
level
improvement of sustainable forest management as
further
defined in Helsinki, and to contribute to sustainable develop-
ment.

forestry programme

constitutes

and multi-sectoral

framework programmes

2.3.2
In accordance with the subsidiarity principle, national
forest programmes are a key means of implementing objectives
of the EU forestry strategy. National forest programmes are
that
holistic
consider the impact of the forest sector on other sectors and
the impact of other sectors on the forest sector. National forest
programmes can take into account and balance multiple uses
of forests and society's expectations of them taking into consid-
eration special national features. National forest programmes
create coherence and consistency between national policies and
with international commitments. These programmes should be
evaluated to monitor whether they fulfil the set objectives.

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2.3.3
International environment and forestry policy commit-
ments entered into by the EU and the Member States can best
be implemented in the forestry sector by incorporating these
commitments into national forest programmes.

tion but on timber market promotion, on reward mechanisms
for environmental services, on research, training and informa-
tion, and on rural development measures to secure long-term
improvements in conditions and employment in the forestry
sector and in environmental services provided by forests.

2.3.4
The EU should promote the drawing up of national
forest programmes, as recommended by the MCPFE, in order to
promote sustainable forestry and achieve a holistic approach to
developing forestry and forestry policy in the Member States
and the Community.

2.4 Rural development policy and forestry

The principal

2.4.1
instrument for implementing forestry
strategy at Community level has been rural development
policy. During the period 2000-2006, EUR 4.8 billion was
allocated to forestry measures under rural development policy,
half of which was spent on afforestation of agricultural land
and half on other forestry measures.

The Court of Auditors' Special Report No 9/2004 on
2.4.2
Forestry Measures within Rural Development Policy found that
neither
the Member States assumed
responsibility for assessing whether a project contributed to the
achievement of the EU forestry strategy.

the Commission nor

2.4.3
The General Regulation on support for rural develop-
ment (No 1257/1999, Article 29) stipulates that support for
forestry provided by the Member States under rural develop-
ment policy must be based on national or subnational forestry
programmes or equivalent instruments. In some Member States
national programmes are only just being set up, and they are
operational in only a few countries.

2.4.4
The assessment of forestry measures carried out under
rural development policy has been hampered by the Commis-
sion's lack of data on Member States' forestry measures. No
effective system exists for monitoring forestry measures in the
Member States supported by EU funding.

2.4.5
Although a significant portion of funding is used for
afforestation measures, no clear operational objectives have
been set
regarding how afforestation measures should be
deployed under the forestry strategy, in particular taking envir-
onmental objectives into account.

2.4.6 Many Commission DGs and units are involved in the
procedure for approving rural development plans and opera-
forestry
tional programmes, as well as
measures. The complexity of decision-making has limited the
extent to which rural development policy is used in imple-
menting the EU forestry strategy.

the approval of

2.4.7
It must also be clarified whether it would be more effi-
cient to concentrate EU resources not on subsidising afforesta-

2.4.8
It must also be remembered that forestry and timber is
a market-based industry and part of the open sector of the
economy. The EU internal market will only function efficiently
if competition on the timber market is not distorted by support
policy.

2.5 Protection of forests and safeguarding the environmental services

provided by forests

2.5.1
The practice of forestry should be economically, ecolo-
gically, socially and culturally sustainable. Protection of forests,
monitoring their condition, repairing damage and safeguarding
the environmental services they provide are important aspects
of sustainable forestry. Sustainable forest use should be safe-
guarded by ensuring adequate regeneration.

2.5.2
Key objectives for EU forests are to maintain their
health and vitality by protecting them from air pollutants,
forest fires and other harmful agents, whether organic (diseases,
insects) or inorganic (erosion).

2.5.3
Some 0.4 million hectares of forest in the EU are hit
by fire every year. Forest fires are a serious problem especially
in the southern Member States. As well as preventing forest
fires, the Community has collected data on fires and monitored
their size and causes. The Community has established a frame-
work for systematic collection of data on the extent of and
reasons for forest fires. This system has been used to assess and
monitor measures
taken by the Member States and the
Commission to prevent forest fires. EU forest and environ-
mental protection cannot succeed unless an effective approach
is developed for monitoring and preventing forest fires.

2.5.4
The main laws concerned with maintaining the health
and vitality of forests are the plant protection directive, the
directive on marketing of forest reproductive material, and the
framework regulation on monitoring of forests and environ-
mental interactions (Forest Focus).

2.5.5
The Forest Focus regulation establishes a framework
for a Community scheme to continue monitoring forest health
and programmes for prevention of forest fires and to develop
and diversify monitoring systems. The aim is to produce reli-
able and comparable data on the condition of forests and on
the harmful factors affecting the Community's forest ecosys-
tems.

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2.5.6
Data are already being collected in the framework of
international agreements, the Food and Agricultural Organisa-
tion (FAO), the Timber Committee of the Economic Commis-
sion for Europe, EUROSTAT and the MCPFE on forest biodiver-
sity, forest resources, carbon sequestration, the carbon cycle
and forest products and protective effects. When developing
Community monitoring schemes it is important to draw on
national, pan-European and global monitoring schemes that
already exist or are in preparation, and to ensure protection of
landowners' privacy with respect
to data handling and
publishing.

2.5.7
The Community's plant protection directive contains
provisions on protecting plants or products of plant origin
from harmful substances, and on pest control. The plant
protection directive also sets standards for international trade
in wood products and planting material. Climate change
increases the risk of plant pests spreading and breeding. To
protect forest health and prevent the spread of major forest
pests in EU territory it is necessary to ensure sufficiently tight
plant protection rules and effective surveillance. Nevertheless,
such measures should not lead to trade distorting measures,
resulting from the use of such a directive as a non-tariff barrier
to trade.

2.5.8
Forests and forest biodiversity are an important part of
Europe's natural environment. Protecting forest biodiversity is a
key aspect of Community environmental policy. The forestry
strategy states that the conservation of forest biodiversity can
be achieved in the Union largely through appropriate forest
management measures. Biodiversity can also be protected
through sustainable forestry by establishing forest conservation
areas. In accordance with the subsidiarity principle, Member
States are responsible for incorporating biodiversity issues as
appropriate into national forest programmes or corresponding
instruments.

2.5.9
The most important laws dealing with protection of
forest biodiversity are the ‘Habitats Directive’ (92/43/EEC) and
(79/409/EEC). Conservation of protected
the ‘Birds Directive’
species and habitats has been achieved at Community level by
setting up a network of special conservation areas, the Natura
2000 network. In management and control of Natura 2000
areas, account must be taken of social, economic and informa-
tion preconditions, financial consequences as well as specific
local and regional features.

2.5.10
Incorporating protection of forest biodiversity into
the practice of sustainable forest use across the entire forest
area and the Natura 2000 network is a fundamental prerequi-
site for the achievement of biodiversity conservation goals, as
well as fulfilling binding international obligations.

balanced way the need for ensuring the conservation and
appropriate enhancement of biodiversity in forests, the need
for maintenance of forest health and ecological balance, and
for goods and
the sustainable production of raw material
services needed by the forest industries and society. It is also
noted that actions to enhance and conserve forest biodiversity
should be part of an EU forestry strategy.

Demand for the environmental services provided by
2.5.12
forests, and society's expectations of
them, have increased.
Maintaining and developing the social and leisure-related tasks
of forests is an important aspect of sustainable forestry. Coop-
eration with NGOs and consumer organisations should be
stepped up so that forestry can deliver products, services and
applications that meet citizens' needs. The general public and
the environmental
forest owners must be informed about
impact of
their activities and about available sustainable
approaches. To be able to show the importance of services
provided by forests for the economy and society as a whole,
overall balance sheets of such services must be drawn up in all
the Member States.

2.5.13 Management and use of forests in the EU countries
has long been regulated by various forestry policy methods. It
is essential to respect forest owners' right to determine the use
of their forests and to use their forest resources in accordance
with the law and with the principles of sustainable forest use.
Where producing social and environmental benefits goes
beyond the legal
forest management and
adversely affects the economic viability of the forestry sector
and the right of forest owners to decide on matters relating to
their forest property, appropriate compensation or reward
mechanisms must be put in place.

requirements of

2.5.14
Environmental services and other benefits obtained
from forests are the forest owner's products and should also be
appreciated as such. It must be possible to put a value on envir-
onmental services provided by forests, and operational models
should be developed to encourage their production on a volun-
tary and market-oriented basis.

2.6 Forests and climate change

2.6.1
Forests (including forest soil) are important carbon
dioxide sinks and carbon reservoirs. By storing carbon, forests
slow the greenhouse effect and global warming. Keeping forests
productive and ensuring their renewal can safeguard their
important role as carbon sinks.

At Community level, conservation of forest biodiver-
2.5.11
sity is also guided by the European Community biodiversity
strategy (COM(1998) 42). The communication on a biodiver-
sity strategy stresses the importance of taking into account in a

2.6.2 Wood products can be used to replace products that
are more harmful in terms of climate change. Promoting the
use of wood can help to increase the amount of carbon stored
in products. Increasing the use of energy from wood can help
to offset the use of fossil fuels and reduce the atmospheric
damage they cause.

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2.6.3
Climate change also affects ecosystems and the basic
conditions for practising forestry. A well-managed forest estab-
lishes the basis for adjusting to climate change. Given the long
to climate
time-frame which forestry requires, adjustment
change must begin in good time. Forestry can also take advan-
tage of climate change and create positive knock-on effects for
society and for climate change prevention. Owing to the great
variation in forest ecosystems and forestry activities across the
it makes most sense for adjustment to be managed at
EU,
national level. At Community level support can be provided for
research on climate change adjustment, and on developing
information systems.

2.7.5
The competitiveness of the EU forestry industry has
been addressed in a specific communication and in the evalua-
tion of that communication. However,
it is important that
forestry and forest-based industries coordinate their activities in
the forestry sector.

The EU needs an attractive timber-processing industry.
2.7.6
This requires cooperation between the forestry sector and local
communities to enhance skill levels in the sector. Safeguarding
the sustainability and supply of the raw material base produced
by forests is an essential requirement for production in the
forestry industry.

2.7 Competitiveness of the EU forestry sector and promoting employ-

ment in forestry

2.7.7
Sustainable forest management is to serve as the basis
for a competitive European forestry industry, so ways have to
be found of making it an economically viable.

2.7.1
The forest sector is one of the EU's most important
economic sectors. The forest sector, and forestry in particular,
is labour-intensive and so a major source of employment.
Small and medium-sized forestry companies are particularly
important for the vitality of rural areas and their employment
level. Forestry and forest based industries employ about 3.4
million people in the EU and the annual production value is
about EUR 356 billion.

2.7.2
The employment effect of forestry is not limited to the
wood-processing sector, but extends also to non-wood forest
products and other biological products from forests. Non-wood
forest products, such as cork, mushrooms and berries, as well
as green tourism and hunting-related activities, are significant
sources of income. New jobs and sources of income can also
be created by developing the environmental and recreational
services provided by forests.

In implementing the forestry strategy it has been
2.7.3
possible to effectively promote environment-related issues. The
development of environmental measures has also been under-
pinned by the EU's strong environmental policy. In accordance
with the EU sustainable development strategy approved by the
Gothenburg European Council and the Lisbon strategy, the EU
forestry sector and forest-based industry should be developed
in such a way as to play a full role in realising the objectives
set for competitiveness, economic growth, employment and
social cohesion.

2.7.4
Although the balance between different uses can vary
widely according to the country or region, timber production
continues to be the most important forestry activity, though
only about 60 % of annual forest growth is harvested. Exploita-
tion of wood resources in the EU can be increased without
putting the sustainability of timber production and other uses
of forests at risk. More efficient use of the EU's forest resources
would make it possible to increase jobs in the sector and the
capacity of the forestry industry and the EU's self-sufficiency in
forestry products.

The efficiency, profitability and competitiveness of EU
2.7.8
forestry and timber production should also be considered sepa-
rately from the forestry industry's competitiveness. The forestry
strategy does not adequately highlight the economic impor-
tance of forests and, for example, the functioning of the timber
market. Maintaining and increasing competitiveness means
enhancing the cost-effectiveness of forestry, creating favourable
operating conditions for efficient exploitation of commercial
forest stands and developing timber production methods. Prof-
itable timber production makes it possible to invest in safe-
guarding and developing the ecological and economic sustain-
ability of forests. However this must not adversely affect envir-
onmentally and socially sustainable forest use. There is, there-
fore, a considerable need for research in this field in order to
gain some degree of clarity about the impact of increasingly
mechanised forest management on environmental and social
factors and to avoid any negative effects.

sector economy and the

2.7.9 Maximising the multifunctional use of forests gener-
ates added value and increases sustainability for both the
private
economy as a whole.
Resources, especially for research and development activities,
should be concentrated on developing new uses for forests and
their
resources and on establishing efficient
markets for their products and services.

raw material

2.8 Promoting the use of wood

2.8.1 Wood is a renewable, recyclable raw material whose
products store significant quantities of carbon and thus slow
global warming. Forest energy can be used to replace more
environmentally damaging energy production based on non-
renewable energy sources.

2.8.2
To promote the use of timber, a long-term strategy
should be created, focusing among other things on obstacles to
timber use in legislation and standards, research and develop-
ment activities,
improving skills, and
communication and information.

innovative timber uses,

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2.8.3 Wood-based energy should be promoted as part of an
EU strategy to encourage innovative energy forms and the
Biomass Action Plan. The wood-based energy market must be
developed on the basis of demand. Promotion of wood-based
energy use should take into account the raw materials needs of
the timber-processing industry.

2.10.2
It is important that forest certification should remain
a voluntary instrument. Rules should not be introduced at EU
level that would effectively abolish the voluntary nature of
certification and impose on forest owners and others involved
in forestry mandatory forest management requirements that are
higher level than prevailing legislation.

2.8.4
It is also important to recognise that sustainable use of
renewable natural resources is crucial to competitiveness and
economic sustainability when defining the role of forestry and
conditions under which it operates. The EU sustainable devel-
opment strategy and EU environmental policy, in particular the
strategy on sustainable use of natural resources, must take into
account
the special role of renewable natural resources in
building a more sustainable society.

2.9 Developing capacity and skills in the forestry sector

2.9.1
Forest ownership in Europe has a broad base. The
state, publicly-owned companies and large enterprises own
substantial areas of forest, while private family holdings are
small in size. State forestry can play an important role in both
timber production and especially in the production of social
and environmental services.

It is important to develop the skills of all the different
2.9.2
forestry sector stakeholders (e.g. employees,
forest
owners, advisory and service organisations, public forestry
authorities) and their ability to meet future challenges. One
aspect of this effort is improving the conditions and capacity of
stakeholders' own organisations
and developing practical
measures. Cooperation must be stepped up between the
forestry sector and civil society to develop sustainable forestry.

industry,

2.9.3
Some 60 % of forest in the EU is privately owned, and
there about 16 million private owners. A level playing-field
must be ensured for family holdings with respect to sustainable
forestry, timber production and market access. Forest owners'
associations have also proven to be an effective means of
providing information on sustainable forestry and the basis for
practising it. The development of forest owners' associations
has also made it possible to combat the fragmentation of forest
ownership.

2.10 Forest certification

2.10.3
Since forest certification is a market-oriented instru-
ment, the role of EU or national governments is limited to
supporting initiatives of
the private sector and NGOs to
promote forest certification. However, governments cannot
play a leading role in the forest certification process.

2.10.4
The EU must ensure that the internal market operates
without constraints. From the perspective of the forestry sector
it is important that government does not support one particu-
lar forest certification scheme through its actions. The market
must offer alternatives and there must be free competition. The
task of government is to ensure that no artificial obstacles to
trade arise.

2.11 The EU and forestry research

2.11.1
The forestry sector can only meet these challenges,
e.g. in relation to competitiveness and sustainable development,
by developing new and innovative procedures, production
methods and products. The role of forestry-related research and
development activities in current and future EU research frame-
work programmes must be stepped up.

2.11.2
The EU's 7th Research Framework Programme
covers the period 2007-2013. European Technology Platforms
are a new instrument for preparing and implementing the
framework programme. The European paper industry (CEPI),
woodworking industries (Cei-Bois) and family forest owners
(CEPF) have presented a joint forestry-sector technology plat-
form initiative to the Commission (‘Innovative and Sustainable
Use of Forest Resources’).

It

is essential

to increase the share of

2.11.3
research
projects conducted into the impact of climate change, the state
of forest health and appropriate monitoring systems. The EU
should,
information
exchange, boost forest owners' knowledge and encourage them
to adapt their forests to climate change.

subsequent

research

through

and

Forest

certification is a voluntary market-based
2.10.1
procedure for promoting sustainable forestry and informing
customers and other stakeholder groups of its commitment to
sustainable forestry. Forest certification can be used to underpin
other activities to promote sustainable forestry. Forest certifica-
tion schemes must respect the voluntary principle and the prin-
ciples of credibility, openness, cost-effectiveness and non-discri-
mination, and the possibility for the various parties concerned
to participate.

2.12 Coordination of forest issues

A prerequisite for managing forestry issues and
2.12.1
implementing forestry measures
coordination
is
between those policy areas that impact on forests and forestry.
The aim should be for the Community to take more account
than it currently does of the effects on forestry of its decision-
making in different policy areas.

effective

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2.12.2
The European Economic and Social Committee
commends the work of the Commission's InterService Group
on Forestry in improving coordination on issues relating to
forests and forestry. However, improving coordination and clar-
ifying remits requires a single body which would be responsible
for coordinating implementation, exchange of information and
interaction between the various DGs, as well as communicating
with and informing the forestry authorities of the Member
to
States and relevant stakeholder groups.
ensure that coordination takes place at a sufficiently high level.
It is necessary to ensure that sufficient staff and other resources
are available for Community measures to support sustainable
development.

is important

It

2.12.3
Both the Standing Forestry Committee and the Advi-
sory Committee on Forestry and Cork must be provided with
adequate resources to do their work. Scope for stakeholder
groups to be involved in decision-making at the regular meet-
ings of advisory committees must be strengthened. Forestry
expertise in the Member States must be boosted in the other
Council working groups, and especially the STAR Committee,
when forestry-related issues are discussed. Coordination of the
activities carried out by the committees and working groups
dealing with forest-related issues should be effective, both with
respect to intra-Community and international forestry issues.
Meetings of advisory committees and working groups should
be developed in such a way that the DGs dealing with issues
that are relevant to forestry (agriculture, energy, environment,
enterprise,
research) hold discussions with key stakeholder
groups (forest and land owners, the forestry industry, NGOs
and other stakeholders).

2.12.4 When international obligations are implemented, it is
important to clarify the division of powers between the Com-
munity and the Member States and to respect the subsidiarity
principle. The Member States and the Commission coordinate
their positions on international issues in the Council Working
Group on Forestry. The position of this working group should
be strengthened and it should be given a formal and coherent
role.

3. Action plan to strengthen implementation of

the

forestry strategy

A more effective way is needed of developing sustain-
3.1.1
able forestry and harnessing the potential of forests to promote
sustainable
the
Commission's proposed action plan, which would serve as a
coordinating instrument and frame of reference for imple-
menting measures in the forestry sector.

development. The Committee

supports

The EESC recommends that the Commission together
3.1.2
with Member States should frame a clear vision and strategic
goals for EU forests under the umbrella of
the European
forestry model. These should be based on, and in line with, the

forest-related decisions of the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21,
validated by the World Summit on Sustainable Development in
Johannesburg (WSSD). There it was confirmed that sustainable
forest management is an aspect of sustainable development.
Furthermore, Community actions related to forestry should
enhance the contribution of forests to creating a sustainable
society and to overall development goals, including the Lisbon
strategy, the Gothenburg agreement and the Millennium Devel-
opment Goals.

On the basis of the recommendations in this opinion,
3.1.3
the vision called for should include at least the following issues.
European forests and the forestry and timber industry will be a
key factor contributing to a sustainable European society. A
market-oriented, economically viable and competitive forestry,
timber production and forest industry that strengthens regional
economic networks provide jobs and livelihoods, and could
have a particular impact on regional economy and develop-
ment. Forests are an essential foundation of services of general
interest and also play an important role with regard to recrea-
tional values culture and the environment. The European
forest-based sector provides innovative know-how and high
technology. The EU should contribute actively to international
processes relating to forestry in line with WSSD and United
Nations Forest Forum decisions.

The strategic goals for the action plan should be based
3.1.4
on the principles of coordination and giving added value to
existing forest policy. The forest-based sector should be recog-
nised as an independent sector, and ex-ante evaluation of all
upcoming related policies and measures should therefore be
carried out.

The Action Plan for Sustainable Forest Management
3.1.5
should cover all the dimensions of sustainable forestry and the
entire forestry production chain. But in order to ensure efficient
use of Community resources under the action plan it must be
possible to specify to which activities and measures should
primarily be allocated.

It is important that the action plan should provide for
3.1.6
the forestry perspective to be taken into account when imple-
menting other Community policies, e.g. environment, energy,
rural development and industrial policy, so that forestry is
promoted in a way that takes equal account of the economic,
ecological, social and cultural dimensions of sustainability.

3.1.7
Information pooling on environmental services and
assessment of them should be developed under the action plan.
The plan should support the development of innovative and
market-based operational models for producing forest environ-
mental services. The possibilities of market-based payment
systems should be explored to compensate the non-wood
environmental services (e.g. protection of water
resources,
carbon sequestration) provided by forest owners.

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3.2.2006

Priority should be given to creating the optimum
3.1.8
environment
to ensure the competitiveness and economic
viability of the forestry sector. The action plan should specify
ways of supporting the development of innovative operational
models that provided added value in forestry and of promoting
business initiatives in the forestry sector. This should include
provisions for setting up a visual European timber exchange
that would give an instant, global and transparent picture of
in respect of timber
economic trends (supply and demand)
types and which forest owners could access at any time (on the
internet).

3.1.9
A key element of the action plan must be to promote
the use of wood and other forest products as renewable and
environment-friendly materials. An information and communi-
cation programme on wood and other forest products must be
drawn up and implemented under the action plan. The action
plan must also take into account the use of wood as a renew-
able energy source.

3.1.10
In addition, the action plan must support the promo-
tion of research and development on forests. One aspect of
such activity would be incorporating major forestry research
projects into the EU's 7th Research Framework Programme
and supporting the forestry sector's Technology Platform initia-
tive. Scientific studies (research contracts) conducted jointly
with relevant European forestry university faculties should
establish how many employees are required by the European
forestry industry, and with what qualifications, in order for the
sector to operate effectively on a sustainable and nature-friendly
basis in accordance with laws, regulations and certification
requirements. A study of forestry clusters should also be carried
out.

and inform individual stakeholders in the forestry sector in the
countries and regions about them directly.

3.1.14
assigning responsibility and allocating adequate resources.

the action plan also requires

Implementation of

3.1.15
An important element of the action plan must be
measures to boost and maintain forest biodiversity. Moreover,
biodiversity must be fostered in protected areas through special
support schemes (such as the Natura 2000 premium) and by
raising awareness and acceptance of
the issue among the
public, forest owners and the associations concerned. Also, in
order to safeguard biodiversity in the remaining forest areas,
ways and means must be developed to maintain and improve
total
forest species diversity. The establishment of
typical
protection areas must also be promoted. Given the specific
obligations involved, state-owned forests are to be a focus of
these activities, while appropriate reward schemes must be
established for privately owned forests.

3.1.16
In order to be able to assess the effectiveness of the
measures and tools adopted, it is vital to broaden the various
monitoring systems in the action plan and make them part of
an overall approach.
It is necessary therefore, to map out,
investigate and monitor forest biodiversity both inside and
outside protected areas. Regular,
large-scale studies into the
state of forests are equally imperative. Research and monitoring
must be used to check the extent to which forest measures can
help maintain biodiversity.

4. Conclusions

3.1.11
The action plan should also try to establish how the
EU's own efforts can support the European forestry ministers'
conference process and implementation of the decisions made
by it. In particular, the action plan should strengthen the imple-
mentation of national forest programmes in accordance with
the general approach established at
the European forestry
ministers' conference.

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
4.1
believes that
the forestry strategy and its implementation
should continue to be based on the subsidiarity principle, and
on the concept of economically, ecologically, socially and cultu-
rally sustainable forestry.

The

3.1.12
exchange
action plan should provide
programmes of forestry employees between countries, so that
they can learn about the strengths and weaknesses of national
systems and so develop new approaches for their work at
home.

for

3.1.13
One aspect of the action plan should be to identify
practical ways of improving coordination and communication
with respect to EU decision-making on forests. A European
information and communication platform designed to make
people feel closer to Europe should bring together the many
different and interesting activities of Europe's forestry sector

The EESC emphasises that in implementing the forestry
4.2
strategy attention should be paid to aligning its objectives with
the EU's Lisbon and Gothenburg strategies.

The EESC believes that

4.3
the European Union should
work consistently towards the achievement of a global, legally
binding agreement on the management, conservation and
sustainable development of all forest types, which complies
with the forestry principles adopted at the UN Conference on
Environment and Development in 1992 and underpins imple-
mentation of the proposals for measures adopted by the Inter-
governmental Panel on Forests and the Intergovernmental
Forum on Forests. The EESC also stresses that the European
Union must take steps to ensure that existing processes and
instruments designed to promote sustainable forestry are fully
taken into account in international environmental agreements.

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4.4
The EESC notes that ministerial conferences to discuss
the protection of Europe's forests have an important role to
play in cooperation on forests between European countries,
and the decisions taken at such conferences should, where
necessary, be incorporated into EU forestry strategy.

4.5
The EESC points to the positive impact of the forestry
sector on employment and the vitality of rural areas and on the
development of rural business activities. Forestry measures
carried out in the context of rural development policy should
be based on national forest programmes, and these should
further the achievement of EU forestry strategy objectives. The
EESC also calls for systems to be set up to monitor Member
States' forestry measures introduced under the rural develop-
ment directive and co-financed by the EU, and their impact.
The EESC emphasises that support provided for forestry under
rural development policy should not distort competition on the
market for wood and other forest products.

4.6
The EESC stresses the beneficial effect that forests have
on human health and the way they refresh the mind and help
workers to relax. It therefore calls upon the Member States to
respect the principle of the possibility of the public to have
access to nature's resources, giving all people free access to
woodlands while establishing the public's responsibility to
observe the law, the access times for forests set by their owners
and environmental protection rules.

the
In the EESC's view, balanced implementation of
4.7
forestry strategy requires that decisions taken in the sphere of
European Union environmental policy and the objectives of EU
forestry development should be consistent with and comple-
ment each other.

4.8
The EESC notes that protecting forests and safeguarding
the environmental and social services they produce are an
important aspect of sustainable forestry, and that in protecting
forests and the production of environmental services resources
should be devoted to developing operational models that
encourage a voluntary and market-oriented approach. The
production of social and environmental benefits which society
needs must not unnecessarily constrain the property and deci-
sion-making rights of owners or threaten the profitability of
forestry operating in accordance with legislation and the princi-
ples of sustainable forestry.

The EESC thinks

4.10
the European Commission
that
should pay particular attention to issues that can strengthen
the Community's efforts to create a favourable environment for
sustainable forestry. The EESC believes that implementing the
forestry strategy, as well as the Gothenburg and Lisbon strate-
gies, in a balanced way requires more focus on promoting the
commercial exploitation of forests and on profitability, compe-
titiveness and employment in the forestry sector.

4.11
The EESC believes it is necessary to promote use of
timber and other forest products as renewable and environ-
ment-friendly raw materials and energy sources, and that a
long-term strategy should be drawn up to this end.

The EESC considers it important to promote the capa-
4.12
city of actors
to develop sustainable forestry. The EESC
considers it important that small forest owners should be given
opportunities to develop their own forestry sustainably by
strengthening organisations representing private forest owners.
It is necessary to increase institutional capacity for promoting
sustainable forestry in the new Member States; developing
private ownership structures and institutional structures present
a particular challenge.

that

The EESC points out

4.13
forest certification is an
optional, market-based tool for promoting sustainable forestry.
The EESC considers it important for the EU to take responsi-
bility for the smooth functioning of the internal market and
ensure that forest certification does not become an artificial
obstacle to trade.

The EESC believes it

4.14
sustainability, capacity and competitiveness of
sector through research and development.

is important

to enhance the
the forestry

4.15
The EESC believes it is essential to further tighten up
coordination between the various main policy issues and that
implications for the forestry sector are better reflected in deci-
sion-making on the various sectoral policies. To improve coor-
dination a single body should be designated with responsibility
for implementing the forestry strategy and for communicating
with the various DGs, the Member States, forestry authorities
and stakeholder groups.

4.9
The EESC feels that it is important to recognise the
importance of forests and the products obtained from them in
controlling climate change and that the EU should promote
research activity and exchange of information on adapting to
climate change.

The EESC supports the Commission's proposal

4.16
to
introduce a special action plan for implementing the forestry
strategy. The EESC believes it is important that this action plan
should include a definition of priorities and remits, and that
sufficient resources should be provided for its implementation.

Brussels, 26 October 2005.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Anne-Marie SIGMUND