European forest and wood bodies strengthen ties

The four bodies, which describe themselves as representing the core of the European forest sector, are the European Confederation of Woodworking Industries (CEI-Bois), European Forest Owners (CEPF) and European Paper Industries (CEPI) and the European State Forest Association (Eustafor).

They have agreed to "formally commit themselves to strengthen communication and co-operation". They have also defined their core aims: to promote the principles of sustainable forest management, the use of wood and resource efficiency, and the relevance of forest and forest-based sectors in "rural development and the global green economy".

"We have had a close relationship and acted together for a number of years, with one of the results of our earlier collaboration being the Forest Technology Platform, which helps coordinate Europe-wide research and knowledge sharing," said CEI-Bois secretary-general Filip de Jaeger.

"The new agreement formalises and highlights that relationship, and commits us to developing it in the future. We will meet monthly to discuss our activities and policy developments and identify further areas and projects for co-operation."

In particular, said the group's announcement of the MOU, the aim is to "strengthen and promote forest and forest-based sector positions within EU and pan-European policy processes and other related initiatives".

It will also tackle persisting misinformation and lack of knowledge about the forest industry at government level.

"You still hear comments in the European political sphere, like our sector is destroying the forests, or that Europe has less forest than in the past," said Mr de Jaeger. "We have to make clear such misconceptions are not the case."