The EESC's Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCMI) is preparing a new Initiative Opinion on "Towards a comprehensive strategy for the EU wood industry". "Our forests are more than carbon sinks but are a vital source of raw materials to our bio-based industries. The pulp and paper industries and other [...]

On 22 March 2023, the European Economic and Social Committee adopted its Opinion on "Wooden construction for CO2 reduction in building sector". The EESC considers that:  An increase in the use of sustainable wood in construction, especially in public buildings, is essential to reduce carbon emissions and must be promoted [...]

On 28 March, the Council adopted two regulations that will enable the EU to reduce its net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The so-called ‘effort sharing regulation’ sets stronger emission reduction targets for member states to be achieved by 2030. The regulation [...]

Forest ecosystems provide numerous benefits for society: besides providing timber for construction or fuel, forests play a crucial role in cleaning the air and water and preventing floods. They also offer a home for wildlife as well as a place for recreation and relaxation. Forests are natural providers of services [...]

On 21 March, the Commission published two sets of guidelines to support the implementation of the New Forest Strategy, within the broader framework of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, while supporting the general EU agenda on biodiversity by contributing to our commitments under the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (UN [...]

On 16 March the EU Commission launched the New European Bauhaus capacity-building programme for the reconstruction of Ukraine in partnership with Ukrainian organisations. This follows the meeting between the College and the Ukrainian Government held in Kyiv on 2 February, the EU–Ukraine Summit of 3 February, as well as Commissioner [...]

On 17th February 2023, the Commission presented the first New European Bauhaus (NEB) Progress Report taking stock of the achievements in the initiative's first two years as well as the first assessment tool for NEB project: the NEB Compass. The New European Bauhaus has created a broad community of organisations [...]