12 EU Forest Action Plan
| (27603)
10448/06
COM(06) 302
| Commission Communication on an EU Forest Action Plan
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| Legal base | — |
| Document originated | 15 June 2006
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| Deposited in Parliament | 23 June 2006
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| Department | Forestry Commission
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| Basis of consideration | EM of 29 June 2006
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| Previous Committee Report | None
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| To be discussed in Council | October 2006
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared
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Background
12.1 Although forestry is not dealt with in the EU Treaties, a
number of Community policies influence the development of sustainable
forest management, and consequently an EU Forestry Strategy was
adopted in 1998. This emphasized the importance of the multifunctional
role of forests, and identified a series of key elements, whilst
stressing that, although the Community could make a contribution
through common policies, forest policy lies within the competence
of Member States. It also underlined the importance of international
commitments.
12.2 When the Strategy was adopted, the Commission
was asked to report to the Council on its implementation within
five years. When it did so in 2005, it confirmed the importance
of the forest sector within the Community, and the many benefits
of sustainable forestry, and highlighted the extent to which the
context for forest policy within the Community had evolved in
the intervening period. It also suggested that an EU Action Plan
for Sustainable Forestry would provide the framework needed for
further steps to be taken.
The current document
12.3 The Commission has now set out in this document
such an Action Plan for 2007-11, based upon its earlier Communication.
This sets out four main objectives, together with a set of key
actions which the Commission proposes to implement jointly with
the Member States. These are as follows:
Improving long-term competitiveness
- Examine the effects of globalisation
on the economic viability and competitiveness of Community forestry;
- Encourage research and technological development
to enhance the competitiveness of the forest sector;
- Exchange and assess experiences on the valuation
and marketing of non-wood goods and services;
- Promote the use of forest biomass for energy
generation; and
- Foster the co-operation between forest owners
and enhance education and training in forestry.
Improving and protecting the environment
- Facilitate Community compliance
with the obligations on climate change mitigation of the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol and encourage
adaptation to the effects of climate change;
- Contribute towards achieving the revised Community
biodiversity objectives for 2010 and beyond;
- Work towards a European Forest Monitoring System;
and
- Enhance the protection of EU Forests.
Contribute to the quality of life
- Encourage environmental education
and information;
- Maintain and enhance the protective functions
of forests; and
- Explore the potential of urban and per-urban
forests.
Fostering co-ordination and communication
- Strengthen the role of the
Standing Forestry Committee;
- Strengthen coordination between policy areas
in forest-related matters;
- Apply the open method of coordination to national
forest programmes;
- Strengthen the Community profile in international
forest-related processes;
- Encourage the use of wood and other forest products
from sustainably managed forests; and
- Improve information exchange and communication.
The Government's view
12.4 In his Explanatory Memorandum of 29 June 2006,
the Minister for Biodiversity, Landscape and Rural Affairs at
the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Barry
Gardiner) says that the impact of the Action Plan on the UK would
be positive, providing a more coherent framework for Community
actions to be implemented, and that the UK therefore welcomes
the Communication and its focus on key priorities which add value
at a European level. He adds that the Plan is intrinsically linked
to the EU Forestry Strategy and other Community strategies such
as the Rural Development Strategy, and that it provides necessary
links and synergies with the forestry strategies of England, Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland, which are brought together in the
framework of the UK's National Forest Programme.
Conclusion
12.5 Although we do not believe this document
merits further consideration, and are therefore clearing it, we
think it right to draw it to the attention of the House.
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