Forest Action Plan and EU Forestry Strategy
after 2011
Hilkka Summa
European Commission
DG Agriculture and Rural Development
The EU has no specific competence in forestry
- “Forest policy” is in the competence of the Member
- many forest related policies in shared competence
Council Resolution on a Forestry Strategy
for the European Union (1998)
Establishes a framework for forest-related
actions in support of sustainable forest
Management
Court of justice (1999): forest protection
based on Art. 175 of the Treaty
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15 September 2010, Dresden
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Forestry Action
Programme
Afforestation
Forest protection;
SFC
1957
1989
Treaties on the
European
Community:
No specific
approach to
forests or
forestry
EFI Annual Conference
EU Forestry
Strategy
1992
1998
New forest protection
regulations;
Strengthened
forestry measures in
agriculture
15 September 2010, Dresden
2006
EU
Forest
Action
Plan
3
EU Forestry Strategy
Overall principles
 Sustainable forest management (SFM)
 Multifunctional role of forests
Key elements
 EU-level actions based on subsidiarity
 Implementation of international commitments through
national forest programmes
 Commercial functions to be guided by market forces
 The need to improve co-ordination and cooperation on
forest-related issues
 Role of biodiversity, protection of forest ecosystems
 Forests as carbon sinks; encouragement of the use of
wood
 Common measures affecting forests to be in line with the
aims and recommendations of the strategy
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Communication on the implementation of the EU Forestry Strategy
(2005):
• Basic principles and elements still valid
• Newly emerging policy context to be
considered
- Economic challenges for SFM: globalisation and increased
societal demands
- Need to strengthen coherence between EU policies and coordination between the Commission and the MS
- Need to review and strengthen consultative structures in
forestry
- Global importance of forests for sustainable development
• More coherent and pro-active approach needed
=> The Council encouraged setting up an EU Forest Action Plan
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EU Forest Action Plan (FAP) – 2006
Four objectives:
Competitiveness
Maintain and enhance biodiversity
Contribute to quality of life
Improve coordination
• Developed in co-operation between MS, stakeholders and
•
•
•
•
the Commission
18 key actions for the period 2007-2011
Implementation by the Commission and the MS,
coordinated by the Standing Forestry Committee
Mid-term review of implementation in 2009
Final evaluation and report to the Council and the
European Parliament by end 2012
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Mid-term evaluation of the
FAP
 Carried out by EFI
Some key findings:
• Implementation has been efficient
multi-annual Work Programme 2007-2011
 prioritizations

• However questions about impact and visibility
only two years of implementation – difficult to show effects
 impact on measures and initiatives at EU and national level
questionnable
 reach-out to other sectors could be better

• The EU FAP is on track: it does contribute to a more coordinated
approach for forest-related actions in the EU
e.g.structured information flow and regular communication
through the work of SFC, AGFC, ISG

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Challenges of the voluntary
approach to forest policy
EU level involvement in forest policy is currently based
on instruments for voluntary co-operation
Challenges:
• FAP not widely known outside the forest administrations; potential for
leverage to other sectors not fully utilised
• National or sub-national measures do not connect with the EU FAP
• No systematic reporting of MS activities on internal or international
commitments
• The need for a coherent and proactive approach to the forest sector has
not changed
• The Strategy and the FAP are “soft” instruments – what can be achieved
depends on the interests, position and activity of forest administrations
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Future of the voluntary
instruments?
Update of the EU Forestry Strategy?
New FAP post 2011?
• Mid term evaluation of the FAP:
 Discussions on follow up should be started
• SFC Work programme for the implementation of the FAP
2010/2011
 Need for a Working Group of the Standing Forestry
Committee on the future of the strategy and the FAP
(-> end 2010 / beginning 2011)
• White Paper on Adaptation to climate change (April 2009):
 Need to update the EU forestry strategy on climate
related aspects
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15 September 2010, Dresden
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Future of the EU Forestry
Strategy?
Depends on a number of parallel discussions:
 Follow-up to be given to the Green Paper on Forest
protection and information: results of public consultation and
response of the EP expected this autumn
 LULUCF accounting methods and possible integration into
EU climate commitments
 Initiative for a Legally Binding Agreement on forests (LBA)
on the Pan–European level (MCPFE/Forest Europe)
• Basic principles and elements continue to prevail:
- SFM and multifunctional role of forests still the „common
denominator“
- new challenges not well covered by existing instruments?
- what are the best instruments to ensure implementation??
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Three scenarios:
 Green Paper followed by EU legislation on forest protection
and/or information
Separate Forestry Strategy and/or action plan superfluous
Harmonised implementation, strong coordination
Balance would tip from SFM to protection?
Legislation delayed/opposed – renewed voluntary instruments:
=>New strategy and voluntary commitments (“OMC”)
=>Weaker impact/harmonisation
=>Easier to accomodate varying interests and objectives
Both tracks in parallel
=>Need to differentiate between purposes
=>Administrative burden
=>Risk of polarisation of competent bodies
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Documents

Council Resolution of 15.12.1998 on a forestry strategy for the
European Union (1999/C 56/01)

Communication on the implementation of the EU Forestry
Strategy, COM(2005) 84 final

EU Forest Action Plan, COM(2006) 302 final

White Paper Adapting to climate change: Towards a European
Framework for Action, COM(2009)147 final
Forest strategy-related information
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/fore/index_en.htm
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Thank you for your attention
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