On the occasion of the 10th Forest Europe Ministerial Conference, we would like to share with you the joint statement signed by the leading European organisations representing the forest and wood-based sectors.

As European Ministers gather in Stockholm for the 10th Forest Europe Ministerial Conference, the European wood industry, represented by CEI-Bois and EOS, has reaffirmed its strong support for Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) as the cornerstone of Europe’s forest policy in a joint statement issued alongside other forest-sector organisations.

At a time when Europe seeks to strengthen its competitiveness, climate resilience and bioeconomy, sustainably managed forests provide far more than environmental benefits: they supply the renewable raw materials that underpin thousands of companies, millions of jobs and entire rural communities across Europe.

Without a predictable and sustainable supply of wood and wood fibres, Europe cannot deliver on its climate, biodiversity, housing, circular economy and bioeconomy ambitions.

For more than three decades, the Forest Europe process has provided the framework that has enabled European forests to remain productive, resilient and multifunctional. As climate change increases pressure on forests, active and adaptive forest management becomes more important than ever.

The signatory organisations therefore call on Forest Europe and European policymakers to continue strengthening Sustainable Forest Management, support active forest stewardship, and ensure that forest owners and managers can maintain the sustainable mobilisation of wood resources. Securing the availability of renewable forest raw materials must remain a central pillar of Europe’s forest, climate and bioeconomy policies.

Forest Europe 10th Ministerial Conference – Stockholm Joint statement of European Forest-based sector

Sustainably and actively managed forests support European climate action, biodiversity, economic growth, rural livelihoods, and social and human well-being. They contribute to strengthening Europe’s competitiveness and resilience in a rapidly changing climate and geopolitical landscape. They form the backbone of European forest-based industries, which depend fundamentally on a stable and sustainable supply of raw materials.

The concept of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM), as defined within the Forest Europe process in the pan-European context, has been guiding more than three decades of sustainable forestry practices and forest multifunctional role across the continent. This process contributed to the significant modernisation of forest legislation and development and forest practices in Europe and ensured a sound contribution from Europe to a global debate on forests. Furthermore, it provides a widely recognized framework for the responsible management and use of forest resources, maintaining their biodiversity, productivity, regeneration capacity and vitality both today and in the future.

SFM relies on complex, integrated, and long-term decisions, grounded in field experience, scientific research, and broad system perspectives, to ensure the multifunctionality, health, and resilience of forest ecosystems. Its daily implementation delivers tangible results, as reflected both on the ground and in the successive State of European Forests’ reports.
At a time when forests are facing unprecedented climate-change related effects, their management requires adaptation and flexibility embedded in a dynamic approach. After several decades, the SFM concept remains fully fit for purpose, yet further improvement of its foundations in Europe is more important than ever. This is why possible adaptations and developments of SFM criteria, indicators and other tools should continue to be analysed and explored. Forest Europe is the right forum where this work should continue, as Forest Europe is and should remain the main European Forest Policy Forum.

Forest Europe is an asset that must be maintained and strengthened. We encourage European Ministers responsible for forests and forestry to provide strong political and financial support to this process, ensuring that it continues to play its essential role for the future of Europe’s forests, their sustainable management and their multifunctional role. As Observers to Forest Europe, we remain committed to support the process by bringing the expertise and perspective of the European forest and forest-based sector. Maintaining active and sustainable forest management and ensuring the availability of renewable forest resources, including wood and wood fibres, are essential to achieving Europe’s climate, biodiversity and bioeconomy objectives together.

We therefore highly welcome the upcoming 10th Forest Europe Ministerial Conference and would like to express our support for the Stockholm Ministerial Declaration “FOREST EUROPE – Sustainable Forests for Resilient Societies” and its Annex, to be adopted by the European Ministers responsible for forests and forestry. We also wish to express our gratitude to the Swedish Liaison Unit for organising this event and for its work over the last two years. We look forward to this event and the adoption of the new Ministerial Declaration which we trust will set a strong basis for the future of SFM and the Forest Europe process.

Signatories
CEI-Bois – European Confederation of the Woodworking Industries
CEPF – Confederation of European Forest Owners
Cepi – Confederation of European Paper Industries
Copa-Cogeca – European Farmers and Agri-Cooperatives
ELO – European Landowners’ Organization
EOS – European Organisation of the Sawmill Industry
EUSTAFOR – European State Forest Association
FECOF – European Federation of Municipality Forests
UEF – Union of European Foresters
USSE – Union of Foresters of Southern Europe