In December 2020, CEPF submitted a reply to the Commission roadmap on the new EU Forest Strategy (EUFS). In its reply, CEPF called for, among others, a broader scope when it comes to the main objectives of the strategy compared to the scope proposed on the roadmap Thus, considering the multiple ecosystem services that European forests provide and not limiting their contributions to solely biodiversity harbour or carbon storage.
On 3 February 2021, CEPF Secretary General, Fanny-Pomme Langue, together with forest sector stakeholders, met with the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, to discuss the sector's hopes and concerns on the implementation of the EU Green Deal, in particular on the preparation of the new EUFS. ”European forest owners are ready to deliver for the Green Deal objectives but what are the conditions? We need an EU Forest Strategy that combines and embraces all forest functions in a balanced way. We need coherence among the forest-related EU policies that are being developed, and we need the impacts of these policies to be properly evaluated. We need the work and efforts of forest owners and managers to be recognised and supported.” stated Ms Langue in a video message after the meeting.
Regarding the work of the two co-legislators, CEPF calls the Commission to build on Council Conclusions and European Parliament resolution which both support a holistic approach to address forests and their multifunctionality, sustainable forest management as defined by FOREST EUROPE and the respect of competences’ distribution between the EU and Member States.
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