Brussels, 16/06/2006 (Agence Europe) - On 15 June, the European Commission adopted an EU Forest Action Plan, in line with the conclusions of the 30 May 2005 Council and the Commission's report last year on the implementation of the EU Forestry Strategy. The Action Plan lists 18 steps to be implemented from 2007 to 2011 to improve long-term competitiveness of forestry businesses and to improve the environment. The Action Plan was presented by Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel, in association with Enterprise and Industry Commissioner Günter Verheugen, Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas, Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs and Research Commissioner Janez Potoènik. It is accompanied by a detailed report on the situation of forests and forestry in the EU and the process of preparation of the EU Forest Action Plan.
The 18 measures ('key actions') set out in the Action Plan focus around four main objectives:
Boosting competitiveness. Examining the effects of globalisation on the economic viability and competitiveness of EU forestry; encouraging research and technological development (EU aid for forestry research in the 7th Framework Programme, developing a forest-based technology platform and exploring the option of establishing an EU forest science forum); enchaining and assessing experience in valuing and marketing non-wood forest goods and services; promoting the use of forest biomass to generate energy )using low-value timber, small-sized wood and wood residue) and fostering cooperation between forest owners and enhancing education and training in forestry.
Protecting the environment. Facilitating EU compliance with climate change obligations (about 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to land use changes, including tropical deforestation); helping achieve the revised EU biodiversity objectives for 2010 and beyond (urgent need to restore habitats and natural ecosystems to halt the loss of biodiversity); working towards a European Forest Monitoring System (monitoring social and business information along with forest databases); enhancing the protection of EU forests against forest fires, biotic agents and air pollution (the Commission wants to have up-to-date information on forest fires).
Better quality of life. Encouraging environmental education and information; maintaining and enhancing the protective functions of forests (particularly in mountainous areas and around the Mediterranean); and exploring the potential of urban and peri-urban forests.
Fostering coordination and communication. Strengthening the role of the Standing Forestry Committee; strengthening coordination between policy areas in forest-related matters (each relevant Directorate-General will appoint a coordinator for forest-related policies); applying the Open Coordination Method to national forest programmes; encouraging the use of wood and other forest products from sustainably-managed forests (measures will be unveiled to strengthen the competitiveness of forest industries) and strengthening the EU's profile in international forest-related processes (the Commission is planning a communications strategy for the forestry industry, including a website on forest management, an EU forestry information and communications platform and a suggestion that Member States establish a Forest Week or a Forest Day).
Forests currently cover 37.8% of the EU's land area. The forest area of the EU Member States has been steadily increasing over the last decades, explains the Commission. According to recently published reports, total forest cover in the EU during the period of 2000-2005 increased by 2.3 million hectares.
Forest cover greatly varies among the EU Member States ranging from 73.9% and 66.9% of the total land mass in Finland and Sweden, to 9.7% in Ireland, 10.8% in the Netherlands and 11.8% in Denmark. About 60% of the forests in the EU are in the ownership of roughly 15 million private forest-owners. The EU produces about 20% of the world's industrial roundwood, being the second biggest producer after the USA. Despite these large quantities of production, the average annual volume of timber harvested in the EU is only slightly over 60% of the annual forest growth.