Forest

Forestry measures

The EU Forestry Strategy

The Council Resolution of 15 December 1998 on a Forestry Strategy for the European Union established a framework for forest-related actions in support of sustainable forest management (SFM), based on the co-ordination of the forest policies of the Member States and Community policies and initiatives relevant to forests and forestry. It takes into account the commitments made by the EU and its Member States in the relevant international processes, in particular the UN Conference on Environment and Development in 1992 (UNCED) and its follow-up conferences, and the Ministerial Conferences on the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE) (Strasbourg 1990, Helsinki 1993, Lisbon 1998 and Vienna 2003).

The Strategy emphasises the importance of the multifunctional role of forests and SFM for the development of society, and identifies a series of key elements, which form the basis for its implementation. It states that forest policy lies in the competence of the Member States, but that the EU can contribute to the implementation of SFM through common policies, based on the principle of subsidiarity and the concept of shared responsibility. It also emphasises the implementation of international commitments, principles and recommendations through national or sub-national forest programmes or equivalent instruments, and active participation in all forest-related international processes, and stresses the need to improve co-ordination, communication and co-operation in all policy areas of relevance to the forest sector.

For more detailed information on the role of the Community in the area of forest policy refer to:

Council Resolution of 15 December 1998 on a Forestry Strategy for the European Union [pdf]
Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on a Forestry Strategy for the European Union [pdf]
Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament reporting on the implementation of the EU Forestry Strategy [pdf]
Commission Staff Working Document, Annex to the: Communication on the implementation of the EU Forestry Strategy [pdf]
Brochure "Sustainable Forestry and the European Union: Initiatives of the European Commission" [pdf, 5 MB]

Events in relation with the new EU Forestry Strategy

Workshop on the Review of the EU Forestry Strategy, 15/04/2011 (more information)

Back to "Forest resources in the EU and the EU Forestry Strategy"

Forest resources in the EU and the EU Forestry Strategy

EU Forest Action Plan

Events

Documents and publications

Standing Forestry Committee

Advisory Group on Forestry and Cork

Other relevant areas of activity