Around 400 research and financing experts attending the meeting of the Forest-Based Sector Technology Platform heard it was essential to be strongly involved in the first round of applications for the EU 2007-2013 research budget, which amounts to more than €50bn.
“More than a thousand European experts from the forest industries and forestry, research institutes, universities and branch organisations have prepared the forest-based sector’s strategic research programme for the past three years and now is the time to reap the benefits,” said Markku Lehtonen, chairman of the conference’s preparatory committee.
Mr Lehtonen said investments must be made in research so the forest-based sector could renew itself, grow and remain competitive.
He said forest industries were in an excellent position to address the EU research programme’s emphasis on utilisation of renewable resources.
