The proposal to create a European Forest Observatory, a key measure of the EU Forest Strategy for 2030 presented in July 2021 (see EUROPE 12764/1), has the full support of the members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Petitions (PETI).
In a resolution on illegal logging in the EU, adopted on 17 May (25 votes in favour, 5 against, 4 abstentions), they stress the need for frequent and timely collection of comparable data in the Member States.
Several citizens’ petitions have highlighted the scale and severity of illegal logging in the EU, which accounts for between 15 and 30% of international timber production.
MEPs believe that the EU should have a harmonised definition of illegal logging and that sanctions in Member States should be tougher to combat this practice.
They also call for more resources and staff for law enforcement, as well as protection for environmental activists, whistleblowers, forest management staff and investigative journalists.
At the international level, the EU should use its trade policy to combat illegal logging and promote a harmonised definition of this activity, according to the draft resolution.
The European Commission is called upon to actively monitor compliance with existing legislation, such as the Timber Regulation, the Habitats (92/43/EEC) and Wild Birds (2009/147/EC) Directives, the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive (2001/42/EC) and the Aarhus Regulation (1367/2006) on access to information, public participation and access to justice in environmental matters.
In an oral question adopted the same day, MEPs ask the Commission to explain how it assesses the extent of illegal logging in the EU and monitors Member States’ progress in restoring affected areas. The EU institution is also invited to specify how it could assist Member States in this task.
See the draft resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/1p4 (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)