EU FOREST ACTION PLAN

-towards a coordinated framework

for forest related policies
Unit F.6: Biomass, biofuels, forestry and climate change
DG Agriculture and Rural Development
European Commission
1. Background
? EU Forestry Strategy 1998

? Commission Communication on the Implementation of the

Forestry Strategy (March 2005)

? The Commission proposed

? to develop an Action Plan for sustainable forest management

? to review the means and practices to facilitate co-ordination in the
field of forestry

? Council Conclusions: an EU Forest Action Plan to be presented

in mid-2006

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2. Preparation
? Workshops with invited experts
? Co-operation with the Member States: 3 working groups
of the Standing Forestry Committee
? Stakeholder consultations: Advisory Group for Forestry
and Cork, informal contacts with representatives of forest
owners and other professional groups

Taking into account the opinions of

? European Parliament
? Economic and Social Committee
? Committee of the Regions

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3. Starting points
?national forest programmes as a suitable framework
for implementing the principle of SFM and for fulfilling
international forest-related commitments;

?Increasing importance of global and cross-sectoral

issues in forest policy, which calls for improved
coherence and coordination;

?the need to enhance competitiveness of the EU

forest sector and the good governance of EU forests;

?the principle of subsidiarity in forest related policies.

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 4. Vision and overall principles
Forests for society:
Long-term multifunctional forestry fulfilling societal
needs and supporting forest-related livelihoods

Overarching principles:

? Sustainable forest management5

? Multifunctional role of forestry

Keeping the economic, social and environmental benefits of

forests and forestry in balance

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5. Purpose of the Action Plan
? to provide a framework for forest-related actions at
Community and Member States level
? to serve as an instrument of coordination between
Community actions and forest policies of the Member
States

? Increased visibility to the forest sector and recognition

of the benefits that multifunctional forestry provide to
society

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6. Key actions and their implementation

? A limited number of key actions supporting the four

objectives

? Joint implementation by the Commission and the Member

States

? Additional actions that Member States may take with

support from EARDF or Life+

? Standing Forestry Committee as the co-ordinating body

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 7. Four main objectives
? To improve long-term competitiveness of the forest sector and
to enhance the sustainable use of forest products and
services
? To maintain and enhance biodiversity, carbon sequestration,
integrity, health and resilience of forest ecosystems at multiple
geographical scales
? To contribute to the quality of life by preserving and improving
the social and cultural dimensions of forests and forestry
? To improve coherence and cross-sectoral co-operation in
order to balance economic, environmental and socio-cultural
objectives at multiple organisational and institutional levels

EU Forest Action Plan 23 May 2006 8

8. Improving co-ordination
? Strengthen the role and working methods of the Standing
Forestry Committee

? Joint meetings between the SFC and the Advisory Group

for Forestry and Cork

? Continue regular meetings of the EU Forest Directors

(organised by the MS)

? Focal points for forestry in Commission Services

? Strengthen the role of the Inter-Service Group on Forestry

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9. Time-period and monitoring
? 5- year Action Plan (2007 – 2011)

? mid-term evaluation of implementation in 2009

? final evaluation in 2012

? report to the Council and the European Parliament by end

2012

? the SFC to be actively involved in the mid-term and final

evaluations

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