EU Forest Strategy delay “concern”
25 July 2013European timber and forestry organisations have written to European Commission president José Manuel Barroso expressing their “concern” about delays to the new EU Forest Strategy.
The European Confederation of Woodworking Industries, the Confederation of European Forest Owners and the paper industry penned the letter after the June timetable for publication of the strategy passed.
“The process to move forward with this important dossier is still blocked at the highest level within the commission,” they said.
In the letter the groups say that having a further delay or even risking having no forest strategy at all, was “not acceptable”.
“A coherent and stable framework instrument to better promote sustainable forest management and to make a clear reference to the forest sector and its economic relevance in EU policies is highly needed,” the letter says.
Only a clearly formulated new EU forest strategy, it added, could enable the forest-based sector to respond to increasing demands and challenges created by other policies, such as those concerning climate, energy and environment.
