The EU‘s forest-based industry needs to keep up its high efficiency levels by making continuous investment in research and development, delegates at the third Forest Academy Finland have heard.
Speaker Per-Ove Engelbrecht, head of the European Commission’s forest-based industries unit, told the Helsinki forum that developments in the woodworking industry had favoured the EU compared to America but issues of strategic importance for the competitiveness of European forest-based industries still remain.
He said the industry’s focus should possibly be shifted towards product-related developments “since in some areas there is an intense competition between wood and paper products and other materials”. This could, he added, lead to some corporations moving towards higher value-added products.
Mr Engelbrecht also stressed the need to further develop the concept of sustainable forest management by relating it to the demands of climate change policy, sustainable use of natural resources and biodiversity. He also advocated increasing the level of timber recycling as a sustainable alternative to fresh fibre supply, plus developing use of wood as a renewable energy source.
Anatoly Petrov, rector of the Russian Institute of Continuous Education in Forestry, said the development of market conditions in Russia is a key factor affecting the future of the European forest sector. But strong government influence, including monopoly of public forest ownership and a tax-based forest finance system, means the Russian forest sector has been struggling to adapt to market conditions.
Mr Petrov said new forest legislation in the country should help a competitive market emerge, as well as leading to increased harvests and improved efficiency.
