EU forest strategy

Finland’s Presidency aims to ensure a good start for the development of a new EU forest strategy. The multi-annual implementation plan of the current strategy will end in 2020. The strategy is based on the concept of sustainable forest management.

The forest strategy lists eight main priority areas, such as protecting forests and enhancing ecosystem services, promoting the role of sustainable forest management in mitigation of and adaptation to climate change, and securing sustainable livelihoods and welfare in both rural and urban communities.

The EU Commission published a mid-term review of the EU forest strategy in late 2018. In its conclusions in April 2019, the Council of the EU noted a need to develop a new forest strategy beyond 2020, building on the progress made so far.

Ministers to discuss forest strategy in October

In concrete terms, the EU forest strategy will be taken up for discussion at the informal meeting of EU forest directors-general, which will be held in Finland in early September. The meeting will discuss how the strategy should be addressed at the October Council meeting.

The aim is to highlight the importance of the EU forest strategy by raising the topic onto the Council agenda. After the Council meeting, Finland’s Presidency will invite member states and the Commission to deliberate on the issues that should be incorporated into the new strategy and plan the first steps of the strategy process.

Objective to emphasise importance of forestry

The renewal of the EU forest strategy aims to highlight the importance of the strategy. Further, the aim is to improve consistency and uniformity in forestry regulation. The strategy will recognise the growing societal importance of forests and note the concept of sustainable forest management.

Read more:

EU Forest Strategy 

Mid-term review of EU Forest Strategy

Council conclusions on EU Forest Strategy

Inquiries:

Heikki Granholm, Chair of Council Working Party on Forestry, tel. +358 295 162 130, heikki.granholm(at)mmm.fi

Teemu Seppä, Vice-Chair of Council Working Party on Forestry, tel. +358 295 162 158, teemu.seppa(at)mmm.fi