European Commission Action Plan The EU Forest Action Plan

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The EU Forest Action Plan

COM(2006) 302 final, Brussels, 15.6.2006 (839 Kb PDF)

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT on an EU Forest Action Plan

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Introduction

This Communication responds to the request of the Council1 to the Commission to present an EU Forest Action Plan in 2006. It has been prepared in close cooperation with the Member States and in consultation with stakeholders. It takes into account the report by the European Parliament on implementation of the EU Forestry Strategy and related reports by the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. The Commission Staff Working Document attached to the Communication provides a review of the preparatory process.

Overall principles

Building on the Council Resolution of 15 December 1998 on a forestry strategy for the European Union, the Action Plan provides a framework for forest-related actions at Community and Member State level and serves as an instrument of coordination between Community actions and the forest policies of the Member States. The overall objective of the EU Forest Action Plan is to support and enhance sustainable forest management and the multifunctional role of forests. It is based on the following principles:

• national forest programmes as a suitable framework for implementing international forest-related commitments;
• the increasing importance of global and cross-sectoral issues in forest policy, calling for improved coherence and coordination;
• the need to enhance the competitiveness of the EU forest sector and good governance of EU forests;
• respect for the principle of subsidiarity.

Recognising the wide range of natural, social, economic and cultural conditions and differences in ownership regimes of EU forests, the Action Plan acknowledges the need for specific approaches and actions for different types of forests. It emphasises the important role played by forest owners in the sustainable management of forests in the EU.