69 Amendments of Asger CHRISTENSEN related to 2022/2016(INI)
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12 a (new)
Citation 12 a (new)
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 a (new)
Citation 21 a (new)
— having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 08/12/2021 on the report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions entitled ‘New EU Forest Strategy for 2030"’,
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 b (new)
Citation 21 b (new)
— having regard to the number of projects and practices to coordinate forest information in Europe (European National Forest Inventory Network (ENFIN), FUTMON project, DIABOLO project, European Atlas of Forest Tree Species Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES) programme),
Amendment 30 #
A. whereas the EU has set the binding target of reaching climate neutrality by 20501a; whereas the EU is committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement; whereas forests and forest-based industries will play a major role in achieving these SDGs and Paris Agreement targets; _________________ 1a Regulation (EU) 1119/2021.
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the TFEU makes no reference to a common EU forest policy; whereas Article 4 TFEU provides for a shared competence on environmental policy; whereas due to the specific diversity of the EU’s forests with regard to bio-geography, structure, size, biodiversity and ownership patterns, where environmental, climate and other relevant policy touches upon forests, it is necessary to duly apply the principle of subsidiarity and proportionality in the development and implementation of the new EU forest strategy (the strategy) and relevant EU legislation;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. whereas as part of the Fit-for-55 package and the target to align climate policy with the Paris Agreement, the Renewable Energies Directive and the Regulation on the Inclusion of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry are under revision; whereas the Commission has proposed a Regulation on Deforestation-free Products; whereas in the light of the European concept of multifunctional forests, these initiatives must be coherent with the high-level political targets of the Green Deal, the Bioeconomy Action Plan, the Circular Economy Strategy, the Forest Strategy, the Biodiversity Strategy and the Long- Term Vision for Rural Areas;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas forests provide a wide array of ecosystem services, such as the provision of wood, non-wood products and food, carbon sequestration, shelter for biodiversity, clean air and water, benefits for local climate, protection against natural hazards like avalanches, flooding or rockfall, as well as recreational, cultural and historic value; whereas sustainable forest management seeks a balanced provision of the various ecosystem services and to support climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
C b. whereas the INTEGRATE network is a platform of representatives of different European countries, accompanied by scientific advice, initiated by several Member State governments and supported by the Commission’s Standing Forestry Committee and has served to- date as an important driver of identifying means to integrate nature conservation in sustainable forest management; whereas the platform’s work has played an important role in the exchange of experiences and best practices;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C c (new)
Recital C c (new)
C c. whereas the Horizon 2020 funded ALTERFOR project considered the potential to optimise forest management methods currently in use and presented alternative forest management models with opportunities and challenges listed for each alternative;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C d (new)
Recital C d (new)
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C e (new)
Recital C e (new)
C e. whereas wood-based products contribute to climate change mitigation by storing carbon and substituting products with a large carbon footprint, including building- and packaging materials, textiles, chemicals and fuels; whereas wood-based products are renewable and to a large extend recyclable and as such have a huge potential to support a circular bioeconomy; whereas this makes the forestry sector and the forest-based industries key actors in a green economy;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C f (new)
Recital C f (new)
C f. whereas the provision of the various forest ecosystem services through the forestry sector and the forest-based industries is an important pillar of income and employment particularly in rural areas, but also in urban areas through downstream uses; whereas the implementation of the strategy should pay due attention to the development of income and employment, but also to attractiveness of employment in the sector, safety of work and the continuous development of adequate training opportunities for managers and workers;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C g (new)
Recital C g (new)
C g. whereas forest ownership across Europe is diverse in terms of size and ownership structure, including various forms of private and public ownership, leading to a great diversity of management models; whereas it is important that measures under the strategy take due account of the specific conditions and needs, as well as the protection of property rights and free enterprise in order to be effective;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas about 60 % of the EU’s forests are owned by 16 million private forest owners1a, of whom a significant share are small-holders1b; whereas involving and motivating these owners through a comprehensive policy and legislative framework, based on the recognition of their property rights, experience as managers and specific challenges, will be key to achieving the strategy’s targets, including the provision of climate and other ecosystem services; _________________ 1a Commission communication of 16 July 2021 on the “New EU Forest Strategy for 2030” (COM(2021) 572). 1b Europe: a majority of private holdings are up to 10 ha, FOREST EUROPE report on the “State of Europe’s Forests 2020” of 2020; DE: 50% of privately owned forest smaller than 20 ha, https://www.bmel.de/SharedDocs/Downlo ads/DE/Broschueren/bundeswaldinventur 3.pdf;jsessionid=972A5297B9463D98948 E787D1AA78F19.live921?__blob=public ationFile&v=3; FR: about 2/3 of private owners have less than 1 ha, https://franceboisforet.fr/wp- content/uploads/2021/04/Brochure_chiffr esClesForetPrivee_2021_PageApage_BD. pdf; FI: about 45% of owners have less than 10 ha, https://www.luke.fi/en/natural- resources/forest/forest-resources-and- forest-planning/forest-ownership/; LV: 50 % of owners have less than 5 ha, https://www.zm.gov.lv/public/ck/files/MA F_parskats_Silava_privat_meza_apsaimn _monitorings.pdf
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas most recent data gathered under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive1a indicates that only 49 % of forests habitats haveare in a good conservation statusdition1b; whereas focusing solely on aggregated data might be insufficient to identify and address key information on the most urgent issues and it is therefore necessary to consult more specific indicators on trends in condition and pressures; whereas these indicators do not support an overall negative assessment of the state of the EU’s forests, but show both positive and negative trends1c that require nuanced responses; _________________ 1a Council Directive 92/43/EEC. 1b Commission communication of 16 July 2021 on the “New EU Forest Strategy for 2030” (COM(2021) 572). 1c Joint Research Centre report “Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services: An EU ecosystem assessment” (the MAES report) of 2020, for trends in condition see also FOREST EUROPE report on the “State of Europe’s Forests 2020” of 2020.
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
E a. whereas the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 aims to "define, map, monitor and strictly protect all the EU’s remaining primary and old-growth forests";
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E b (new)
Recital E b (new)
E b. whereas in order to deliver on the multiple forest functions including various benefits provided by products of the forest-based industries in an increasingly complex environment, the collection and maintenance of transparent and reliable high-quality data, the exchange of knowledge and best practices, as well as adequately funded and well-coordinated research are of central importance to meet the challenges and yield opportunities;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E c (new)
Recital E c (new)
E c. whereas criteria and indicators to define sustainable forest management commonly used in the EU are based on pan-European cooperation within the FOREST EUROPE process to which all Member States and the European Commission are signatories; whereas as part of its ongoing work programme, FOREST EUROPE has initiated a reassessment of the definition of sustainable forest management; whereas FOREST EUROPE collects and provides information on the status and trends in forests and forestry based on the criteria for sustainable forest management;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E d (new)
Recital E d (new)
E d. whereas on international level, the FAO is the main forum for the development of internationally agreed definitions on forests and forestry; whereas the FAO collects and provides data on forests and forestry; whereas the European Commission and Member States contribute to the work of the FAO;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E e (new)
Recital E e (new)
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E f (new)
Recital E f (new)
E f. whereas the legitimate sanctions imposed on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine raise the question of the EU’s dependency on timber imports from Russia; whereas while the EU sources about 80 % of its demand for timber domestically, imports from Russia only account for about 2 % of total consumption; whereas Finland and Sweden are the EU’s major importers of unprocessed roundwood and will be affected by trade bans1a; _________________ 1a https://www.wur.nl/en/research- results/research-institutes/environmental- research/show-wenr/does-the-eu-depend- on-russia-for-its-wood.htm.
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the new EU forest strategy and its ambition to increase the balanced contribution of multi-functional forests to the targets of the Green Deal, particularly the goals of creating green growth and green jobs, and of achieving a circular economy and climate neutrality by 2050;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Regrets that the new EU Forest Strategy was not properly developed together with the European Parliament, Member States and stakeholders and that the positions of the co-legislators were not adequately taken into account, stresses the importance of strengthen co-operation in terms of implementing the New EU Forest Strategy for 2030;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recognises that the maintenance and, protection and sustainable use of healthy and resilient forests is a fundamental goal of all actors in forestry and the forest-based value chain, as well a key priority for people in the EU;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Recognises the vital role played by forests in contributing to the health of the environment, provision of clean air, water and soil whilst offering diverse habitats and micro-habitats to many species supporting diverse biodiversity while also supporting the human economy, recreation and culture;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. IHighlights the continuous growing stock in European forests that differs from the global deforestation trend1a; acknowledges the efforts of all actors across the forest-based value chain that contributed to this development; is concerned by the increasing pressure on the EU’s forests and their habitats, mainly driven by climate change, and stresses the urgent need to increase forest and ecosystem resilience; , including by measures for adaptation to climate change, and to reduce pressures where feasible; notes with concern that the vulnerability of Europe’s forests to invasive pests and pathogens seems to have increased and that outbreaks are a threat to sequestered carbon1b; _________________ 1a FOREST EUROPE report on the “State of Europe’s Forests 2020” of 2020. 1b Science for Environment Policy (2021) European Forests for biodiversity, climate change mitigation and adaptation. Future Brief 25. Brief produced for the European Commission DG Environment by the Science Communication Unit, UWE Bristol. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/ science-environment-policy.
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises that the EU’s forests are characterised by diverse natural conditions, such as biogeography, size, structure and biodiversity, as well as in ownership patterns, forms of governance, challenges and opportunities, and that they have been formed by centuries of human intervention and management; stresses that in implementation all types of forests and situations require differing approaches in terms of forest management and the delivery of ecosystem services;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Stresses that forest policy falls firmly within the national competence of Member States, and therefore details related to forest management need to be adjusted at national and regional level with a bottom up approach whereby sustainable forest management happens most effectively through the use of best knowledge of local natural conditions;
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recognises the complexity of assessing the state of forests, as well as the uneven availability and quality of data and therefore stresses the need for continuous policy and scientific dialogue at all levels to improve data collection and harmonisation where appropriate;
Amendment 189 #
5 a. Highlights the contribution to-date of forest owners and actors across the forest-based value chain to the efforts to achieve a sustainable and climate neutral economy by 2050 and the value of generational and historic knowledge and expertise in forestry and sustainable forest management;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Underlines that although focussing on forests in the EU, the strategy must align with the work undertaken in international forums, such as FOREST EUROPE and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and should avoid duplicating work; further believes that, given the EU’s strong commitment to promoting the sustainable sourcing and use of resources globally, as underlined by the Commission’s proposal on a Regulation on Deforestation-free Products, the strategy should be implemented in such a way as to serve as a model of best practices and attracts imitators in other regions;
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Recognises the key role of forests in protecting the climate and biodiversity; underlines that the multi-functional role of forests comprises multiple socioeconomic functions, such as the provision of renewable raw materials, which leads to jobs and economic growth in rural and urban areas, the provision of clean water and air, protection against natural hazards and recreational value; stresses that the implementation of the strategy must ensure a balanced provision of all services and maintain and enhance competitiveness and innovation; underlines that the successful provision of services requires sustainable active management;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Believes that the key principle of balancing multiple forest functions and of defining goals and measures towards the achievement of all ecosystem services should be to seek maximising synergies and minimising trade-offs built on evidence-based information;
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Stresses that forests contribute to climate change mitigation via carbon sequestration, carbon storage and the substitution of wood and wood products for fossil fuels and derived products and other products with high environmental and carbon footprints; notes that the strategy has a particular focus on storage in the construction sector and believes its implementation should clearly support a broader use of different options for storage and substitution, in line with the goals of the bioeconomy strategyregardless of life-span of products and based on science-based and robust life-cycle assessments, in line with the goals of the bioeconomy strategy and the industrial strategy and to unlock the full potential of forest-based products in strengthening the circular economy and in the fight against climate change;
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Highlights that for short- and long- lived recyclable wood-based products to contribute optimally to climate change mitigation and a climate neutral and circular economy requires that they be used in the most efficient and sustainable way; believes that the cascading principle8 is a good guideline for efficient use, but must not use a static approach and therefore must be adjusted regularly to reflect innovative uses, such as in construction, textiles, biochemicals, medical applications and battery materials; stresses that a well-functioning, un- distorted market incentivises the efficient use of wood- based resources; _________________ 8 As outlined in the Commission’s ‘Guidance on cascading use of biomass with selected good practice examples on woody biomass’.
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Highlights that for wood-based products to contribute optimally to climate change mitigation and a circular economy requires that they be used in the most efficient and sustainable way; believes that the cascading principle8 is a good guideline for efficient use, but must not use a static approach and therefore must be adjusted regularly to reflect innovative uses and to take into account national specificities; stresses that a well-functioning, un- distorted market incentivises the efficient use of wood- based resources; _________________ 8 As outlined in the Commission’s ‘Guidance on cascading use of biomass with selected good practice examples on woody biomass’.
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Underlines the importance of a reliable supply of wood, wood-based products and forest-based biomass to achieve the EU’s sustainability goals, including the green growth and jobs goal of the Green Deal, and notes that the demand is expected to continue to grow1a; believes that the EU’s forestry sector provide some of the most sustainably sourced raw materials; calls on the Commission to consider displacement effects and effects on competitiveness of the forestry sector and the forest-based industries, as well as to monitor any effects on the availability of wood following the implementation of measures under the strategy; _________________ 1a Hetemäki, L., Palahí, M. and Nasi, R. 2020. Seeing the wood in the forests. Knowledge to Action 01, European Forest Institute. ttps://doi.org/10.36333/k2a01; also see WWF Living Forests Report, Chapter 5, https://wwf.panda.org/discover/our_focus/ forests_practice/forest_publications_news _and_reports/living_forests_report/.
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to assess dependencies on imports of timber from Russia in the light of legitimate sanctions following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and to develop strategies to mitigate disruptions where necessary;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Amendment 265 #
12. Recalls that 2.1 million people work in the forest-based sector, while the extended forest-based value chain supports 4 million jobs in the green economy1a; calls on the Commission and the Member States to monitor and assess the effects of a shift in the balance of forest functions on the overall employment situation; , in rural areas as well as in down-stream parts of the wood-processing industries, and highlights the need to maintain or improve the attractiveness of employment in the sector as well as work-place safety when considering changes in management practices; _________________ 1a Commission communication of 16 July 2021 on the “New EU Forest Strategy for 2030” (COM(2021) 572).
Amendment 285 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Takes note of the Commission’s announcement on developing additional voluntary indicators and threshold values for sustainable forest management; underlines the need to align the Commission’s work with that of FOREST EUROPE and the Food and Agriculture Organization, as well as to engage with the Member State (FAO), to avoid duplication of work and increase in administrative burden, as well as to engage with the Member States and relevant stakeholders including forest managers to ensure that indicators and value ranges are fit-for- purpose for their application at the local level under specific bio-geographic conditions;
Amendment 286 #
13. Takes note of the Commission’s announcement on developing additional voluntary indicators and threshold values for sustainable forest management which shall remain voluntary for Member States to implement at national and regional level; underlines the need to align the Commission’s work with that of FOREST EUROPE and the Food and Agriculture Organization, as well as to engage with the Member States to ensure that indicators and value ranges are fit-for-purpose for their application at the local level under specific bio-geographic conditions;
Amendment 296 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Highlights that pressure on forests from natural disasters and other disturbances is being increasingly intensified by climate change and that strengthening forests’ resilience and adaptation is a matter of urgency; notes the role that restoration and afforestation can play in strengthening resilience and enhancing biodiversity; notes that sustainable forest management as a dynamic concept consists of a broad array of actions and adaptive practices, many of which can play a key role in the climate mitigation potential of forests as well as offering measures, such as introducing better adapted species and provenances, strengthening forests’ contributions to the water cycle, sanitary fellings to contain pests, pathogens and invasive species, forest fire prevention and maintenance of protective functions, whilst underpinning their multifaceted nature and other roles;
Amendment 306 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Acknowledges that not all management practices contribute to carbon sequestration in forests, but stresses that practices and practitioners can adapt and modernise in order to best balance trade-offs, optimise their approach to achieving multiple objectives and creating synergies with climate change mitigation and adaptation goals and multiple other forest functions; highlights, that certain practices of management can help to restore forests and positively impact on carbon sequestration and the biodiversity and ecological situation, notably including voluntary set-aside;
Amendment 309 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Emphasises that in many cases, forest protection requires sustainable active management, as unmanaged forests more likely suffer from disturbances such as forest fires, pests and other damage; underlines that this includes enhancing biodiversity;
Amendment 311 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Underlines that levels of protection are part of the sustainable forest management toolbox and stresses that as part of protection certain forms of intervention might be required, for instance to address natural disaster hazards or adaptation needs;
Amendment 327 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Takes note of the ongoing work on guidance for ‘closer-to-nature’ forestry by the Working Group on Forests and Nature; believes that to ensure added value, guidance on this concept should incorporate results-oriented, scientifically and locally proven sustainable forest management practices to give managers the tools to yield connections and cooperation on better integrating biodiversity protection with improved management practices; highlights that forests do have very different characteristics within the Union and therefore there is a strong need for different policy and management approaches;
Amendment 329 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Takes note of the ongoing work on guidance for ‘closer-to-nature’ forestry by the Working Group on Forests and Nature; believes that to ensure added value, guidance on this concept should incorporate results-oriented, scientifically and locally proven sustainable forest management practices to give managers the tools to yield connections and cooperation on better integrating biodiversity protection with improved management practices that at the same time aim on providing other ecosystem services and products, as demonstrated by the INTEGRATE network;
Amendment 338 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. RHighlights the importance of primary and old-growth forests and their richness of biodiversity; reiterates its call for the protection of primary and old- growth forests and stresses the need to create a definition for what constitutes old- growth forests; welcomes the ongoing work on this definition of the Working Group on Forests and Nature and underlines the need to consider a diverse set of attributes and ensure flexibility to account for specific conditions in bio- geographic regions and forest types and to duly distinguish between old-growth forests and older forest stands managed for long rotation;
Amendment 352 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Welcomes the initiative to plant 3 billion additional trees by 2030 and particularly the principle of planting the right tree in the right place for the right purpose; underlines that attention should be given to avoiding to put additional pressure on the availability of agricultural land;
Amendment 387 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Notes that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the European agricultural fund for rural development isEAFRD are the main source of financial support for forestry measures; further notes that between 2014 and 2020, Member States only spent 49 % of the available funds1a, and that the Commission has identified administrative burden, insufficient attractiveness of the premiums and a lack of advisory services as reasons for this low usage; 1b; welcomes the Commission’s target to increase the uptake of available funds and underlines the need to ensure that funding and subsidies do not support operations that undermine the balanced provision of the various ecosystem services; _________________ 1a European Court of Auditors Special Report 21/2021: EU funding for biodiversity and climate change in EU forests: positive but limited results. 1b Commission communication of 16 July 2021 on the “New EU Forest Strategy for 2030” (COM(2021) 572).
Amendment 402 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Points out that the forestry sector operates primarily as a market-based sector; stresses that putting a stronger emphasis on other ecosystem services should not lead to an increased dependency on subsidies and encourages the Commission and Member States to further pursue the development of market-based payment for ecosystem services schemes, such as carbon farming; and carbon removal certificates, which should incentivise active and sustainable forest management, new innovations and versatile use of wood in products to sequestrate and storage carbon taking into account the potential of side streams; stresses that carbon removal certificates should be based on solid financial framework, accounting rules, market- based design and funding from public and private resources, while CAP-funding must mainly remain targeted for food production and ensuring food security in the Union;
Amendment 405 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Points out that the forestry sector unlike the agricultural sector operates primarily as a market-based sector and without a distinct dependency on subsidies; stresses that putting a stronger emphasis on other ecosystem services should not lead to an increased dependency on subsidies and encourages the Commission and Member States to further pursue the development of market-based payment for ecosystem services schemes, such as carbon farming;
Amendment 408 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Welcomes the work undertaken by the Horizon 2020 funded SINCERE project in developing new business models for the provision of enhanced ecosystem services and believes lessons learned from this and similar projects will give valuable guidance on the development of payment for ecosystem services schemes; underlines the importance of applying the principle of additionality and of designing programmes in a way that rewards front- runners; further underlines that specific requirements of programmes need to take into account the wide variety of forests and their diverse challenges and opportunities; notes that the availability of reliable data on ecosystem services is a prerequisite for any payment scheme;
Amendment 415 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Acknowledges the important role and contribution of existing certification schemes to the further uptake of sustainable forest management; takes note of the Commission’s announcement on developing a ‘closer-to-nature’ certification scheme; encourages the Commission to cooperate with existing and proven certification schemes to explore how this additional voluntary certification could enhance their portfolio and believes that to create added value, the certification must offer forest owners a sufficient price premium for the provision of ecosystem services;
Amendment 424 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Highlights that to unlock the full potential of forests to contribute to climate and circular economy targets of the EU, further research and development in the field of bio-based alternatives to fossil-based products are required and should be incentivised;and innovation in the fields management practices and of bio-based alternatives to fossil-based products and other products with a large carbon footprint are required and should be incentivised; notes that development cycles in the sector may last 10 years or longer and underlines that a predictable and stable regulatory environment is a precondition to attracting investments; highlights that many innovations in the sector have high added value and provide high quality employment in rural areas as well as in the wood-processing industries and underlines the role of SME in the field;
Amendment 431 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Believes that to improve the coordinated provision of environmental and economic forest services, relevant EU framework programmes must be better aligned; programmes, including Horizon Europe, LIFE, EIP-AGRI, LEADER and EIT, must be better aligned; welcomes the Commission proposal to enhance EU cooperation by proposing a Research and Innovation partnership on forestry and calls on the Commission to develop comprehensive forest-focussed programmes including different functions and parts of the forest-sector value chain and including living-labs to test and demonstrate solutions for key challenges, building on existing and proven platforms such as the INTEGRATE network, the Forest-Technology Platform and including pan-European and international partners;
Amendment 443 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Underlines the importance of the forestry sector and the wood-based industries as a provider of jobs in rural communities as well as in urban areas through downstream uses and notes with concern the steady decline in employment and the high number of accidents in the sector1a; calls on the Commission and the Member States to monitor the effects of measures taken under the strategy on employment and work safety and highlights the importance of making this type of employment attractive, taking measures to increase the safety of work and adequately training workers; in the light of changing management practices, considering that discussed options often go hand in hand with higher (physical) labour intensity which also bears more risks for workers, which requires high quality vocational training as well as upskilling and reskilling opportunities; highlights the importance of making this type of employment attractive, taking measures to increase the safety of work and adequately training workers; calls on Member States to assess their advisory services in this respect and re-enforce where necessary; _________________ 1a FOREST EUROPE report on the “State of Europe’s Forests 2020” of 2020.
Amendment 456 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 b (new)
Paragraph 23 b (new)
23b. Stresses that to attract young people as well as investments to the sector and throughout the value chain, a favourable environment in rural areas including digital, transport and community infrastructure is required and calls on Member States to use available funds to support the rural development in this regard;
Amendment 461 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Stresses the importance of accurate, integrated and up-to-date data on Europe’s forests and takes note of the initiative for a legislative proposal for a framework on forest observation, reporting and data collection; underlines that the broad availability, high quality and transparency of data are preconditions to meeting the goals of the strategy and believes that to deliver added value the framework must build on existing mechanisms and processes through a bottom-up approach to best use the expertise and experience present in the Member Statessuch as the national forest inventories, the Forest Information System for Europe (FISE), the ENFIN network, FOREST EUROPE and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) through a bottom-up approach to best use the expertise and experience present in the Member States and while avoiding the duplication of work and administrative burden and costs; calls on the Commission and Member States to ensure adequate funding and human resources for operative support for the framework;
Amendment 468 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Highlights that forest information should be easily available, and cooperation on harmonisation of reporting should be continued, data collection and analysing should be based on national forest inventories, remote sensing techniques and provide complementary information to field measurements, however many characteristics of forests can be only verified on the ground, and science based- policies need to be based on reality, therefore national capacities on forest monitoring are needed relying the best practices already available at Member State level;
Amendment 470 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
Amendment 479 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Takes note of the idea to introduce strategic plans for forests under the framework on forest observation, reporting and data collection; further notes that several Member States already have national strategies for forests in place; calls on the Commission to ensure that the legislative proposal duly acknowledges work already done at Member State level, and where relevant on local level and to assess how this tool could be used to support particularly those Member States that do not yet have national strategies in place;
Amendment 488 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Believes that due to the multi- functional contribution of forests to high- level EU goals and the different administrative levels and stakeholder groups involved, the cornerstones of the strategy’s implementation must be close cooperation and the exchange of best practices with national and regional experts, stakeholders, forest owners and managers, scientists, certification schemes and civil society; underlines that governance must take EU and Member State engagement in international processes into account; such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and FOREST EUROPE into account and that the implementation of the Strategy should seek to create synergies with the contribution to international commitments and cooperation, including on the continuous development of terminology and definitions;
Amendment 489 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. BStresses that the governance of forests and the forestry regulation are responsibilities of the Member States; believes that due to the multi- functional contribution of forests to high- level EU goals and the different administrative levels and stakeholder groups involved, the cornerstones of the strategy’s implementation must be close cooperation and the exchange of best practices with national and regional experts, stakeholders, forest managers, scientists and civil society, and fully and actually comply with the principle of subsidiarity; underlines that governance must take EU and Member State engagement in international processes into account;
Amendment 499 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Highlights the importance of the Standing Forestry Committee as a forum for discussingproviding comprehensive forestry expertise for discussing activities under the Strategy and other EU policies that impact the forestry sector; believes that to achieve policy alignment, the Commission should increase dialogue between the Standing Forestry Committee and other expert groups such as the Working Group on Forests and Nature, the Civil Dialogue Group on Forestry and Cork and the Expert Group on Forest-based Industries;
Amendment 503 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Underlines that the achievement of the Strategy’s goals depends on measures that are adapted to local conditions and challenges; therefore, calls on the Commission and Member States to facilitate the exchange of best practices at all levels and to strengthen stakeholder dialogue, particularly including forest managers, science and civil society groups;
Amendment 507 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. NotesAcknowledges that the implementation of the Strategy may lead to significant systemic changes for the forestry sector, through a shift from primarily timber-based revenue streams towards more complex revenue streams increasingly building on the provision of other ecosystem services, and highlights the need to monitor and understand its consequences; notes that the extensive overlap among policies and legislation thatand in some cases conflicting objectives impact forests and the forestry sector and stresses the importance of aligning them; calls on the Commission and Member States to continuously assess the cumulative effects of the different initiatives under the Strategy, combined with other relevant EU legislation and policies; calls on the Commission to report on this as part of its implementation report;
Amendment 518 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Expresses its concern about reports of illegal logging1a and ongoing infringement procedures1b and calls on the Commission and the Member States to increase their efforts to effectively implement relevant national and EU legislation; _________________ 1a European Court of Auditors Special Report 21/2021: EU funding for biodiversity and climate change in EU forests: positive but limited results. 1b Five ongoing infringement procedures against four Member States (cases 2016/2072, 2018/2208, 2018/4076, 2020/2033, 2021/4029).