The upcoming EU post-2020 Forest Strategy

On Monday 7th September, the Agriculture Committee stressed the importance for the EU to promote forest management models which tend to ensure their environmental sustainability without putting the societal and economic aspects on the side. As Rapporteur Petri Sarvamaa stated, “the Agriculture Committee sends a clear and factual message: the role of sustainable forestry must be seen as an integral part of achieving the EU’s climate and environmental goals. Forest productivity and natural values are not mutually exclusive.”

MEPs adopted a draft non-legislative resolution by 36 votes in favour, underlining the necessity of “an ambitious, independent and self-standing post-2020 Forest Strategy to give full and real political support to the forestry sector.” The new European Commission strategy, waiting to be revealed at the beginning of next year, should be in line with the European Green Deal and the related Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies.

The Agriculture Committee tackled subjects such as sustainable and balanced forest management, the reinforcement of the EU forests resilience to natural disasters, wider use of wood as a renewable raw material, the protection of EU primary forests, the fight against illegal logging, and the promotion of sustainable forestry worldwide. The Green Hand accompanies you in the monitoring of the upcoming pieces of legislation in order to keep you updated, help you to take a timely and right decision, and allow you to make your activity flourish in the long term.