Strasbourg, 19/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament expressed its view on Thursday morning on the Commission communication on the competitiveness of the timber and related industries in the Union, on the basis of the report by Esko Seppänen, Finnish member of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left group. Parliament welcomed the Commission's paper, which is not limited to a traditional sector-based approach, but also invites it to: take a number of measures, including the setting into place of an effective internal structure for the coordination of forestry issues and possible financial aid within the framework of the programme that will follow the Fifth EU Research-Development framework programme. In its lengthy resolution, the EP recalls the tremendous potential of the applicant countries in this area and raises questions on the specific sector of publishing. In an amendment by Colette Flesch (Liberal, Luxembourg), it calls on the Commission to examine which services might be in the best position to guarantee the future development of books. For the Commission, Mr Liikanen expressed his willingness to review this question.
Commissioner Liikanen recalled the importance of the timber sector (2.5 million persons directly employed in the Union, and nearly 4 million indirectly), which concerns a renewable raw material and whose waste can be recycled. The Göteborg European Council (at which the environment will be a priority, Ed.) will have something to say on this subject, added the Commissioner.