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Forest Owner representatives active in high-level EU energy discussions
Within the framework of the implementation of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy, Commissioner Verheugen established in the beginning of this year a High Level Group (HLG) on Competitiveness, Energy and the Environment. The HLG will function as an advisory platform bringing together the Members of the Commission for Enterprise and Industry, Competition, Energy, and the Environment as well as all relevant stakeholders in order to ensure an integrated approach between policy and legislative initiatives.
 Recently, the ad hoc working group
“Long Term Energy Future for the European Union” started to
work on policy guidance that can be given towards a sustainable energy
future. Representing the CEPF, the Chairman of the Swedish Federation
of Forest Owners, Mr Christer Segerstéen was invited as an
expert.
Mr Segerstéen has been a member of the so called
“Commission on oil independence”, which was chaired by the
former Swedish prime minister. He, as the representative of European
Family Forestry, pointed out the importance of further work to increase
the use of the existing potential of unused forest based biomass and
increasing the production by a row of measures. “We have to take
our responsibility to produce renewable energy for Europe”, Mr
Segerstéen said.
Furthermore, Mr Ivar Kosbacken from the Norwegian Forest Owners
Association represented CEPF during the “Expert meeting
concerning wood biomass energy production and raw material supply for
the forest-based industries” organised on September 26 by the
European Commission. Mr Ivar Korsbacken gave his view on the wood
energy markets and the availability of raw material. He stated that in
order to increase the wood biomass on the market further development
and support of forest owners associations and cooperatives is needed.
These consortia are the best means to mobilise sleeping forest
resources through efficient cooperation and service concepts. Beyond
this, they have the capacity to bundle small quantities of timber to
meet the demand of wood and wood-based industries.
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