6.4.2022
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 152/169
Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — New EU Forest Strategy for 2030’ (COM(2021) 572 final) (2022/C 152/28)
Rapporteur: Simo TIAINEN
Referral
European Commission, 10.8.2021
Legal basis
Article 304 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union
Section responsible
Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment
Adopted in section
25.11.2021
Adopted at plenary
8.12.2021
Plenary session No
565
Outcome of vote (for/against/abstentions)
227/1/6
1.
Conclusions and recommendations 1.1.
In its ‘New EU forest strategy for 2030’, the European Commission quite correctly states that forests play a multifaceted role and have significant economic, social and environmental potential.
The vitality and health of forests are of fundamental importance, for both environmental and climate reasons, and in terms of enhancing forest-based economic development and people’s welfare.
While the Committee acknowledges that the forest strategy addresses economic and social opportunities, this should be done in a more comprehensive way.
The EESC also notes that there is no answer regarding how to remunerate the non-commercial ecosystem services provided by forests, and thus by forest owners.
The strategy describes a few positive examples, and the Committee calls for a truly convincing and sustainable solution for the future.
1.2.
The forest strategy should bridge the various policy fields and strategies relating to forests and the forest-based bioeconomy.
The EESC also stresses the importance of making decisions at the right level, in accordance with competences and the principle of subsidiarity.
As forests differ a lot across the EU, there are no one-size-fits-all solutions, and forest management and forest management planning are best addressed at national level to contribute to common goals.
An EU-level framework in turn is necessary with respect to issues relating to the single market and to environmental and climate issues that cannot be solved through national measures only and which often call for international action as well.
1.3.
Advanced cooperation is needed at all levels of policymaking, and the EESC highlights the need for civil society representatives, including businesses, trade unions and environmental organisations, to be closely involved in the further development and monitoring of the strategy, pointing to the central role of forest-owners, industries and workers in sustainable forest management and the forest-based bioeconomy.
1.4.
The EESC calls for coherence, certainty, stability, clarity and consistency in the policy and regulatory framework.
It is crucial not to introduce initiatives that overlap or contradict with existing widely adopted sustainability definitions, principles, criteria, indicators, guidelines and schemes.
Protection of property and free enterprise are also principles that need to be upheld.
1.5.
Due to a wide range of issues with unclear implications, the EESC calls for a comprehensive impact assessment of the strategy to identify the implications for market conditions, rural areas and the various funding needs, including for research and innovation, skills development, infrastructure, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and biodiversity enhancement.