Key Messages for EU Decision‑Makers on EU Bioeconomy Strategy
- Recognize and strengthen the role of family forest owners as central actors in Europe’s bioeconomy and forest‑based value chains.
- Signal strong political commitment to increasing the production of domestic, sustainably sourced renewable biomass, which is essential for Europe’s strategic autonomy.
- Prioritize locally adapted Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) as the guiding principle, supported by continued cooperation with Forest Europe.
- Ensure a predictable, streamlined policy framework that enables long‑term forest management, investments, intergenerational transfer, and biomass availability.
- Shift climate policy emphasis from “sink-only” to “sink-substitution”, with clear recognition in future LULUCF revisions beyond 2030.
- Support multifunctional forest management, where voluntary market‑based tools can complement — but not replace — active timber production.
- Recognize the important role of active sustainable forest management in maintaining the health of ecosystems and in reducing risks
- Strengthening Europe’s forest‑based bioeconomy as a driver of green growth, competitiveness, and resilience on the path toward the 2040 vision.
Introduction
The Confederation of European Forest Owners (CEPF) welcomes the adoption of the new EU Bioeconomy Strategy. It symbolizes a long-awaited strategic step in the right direction to take bioeconomy into the hard policy arena around the management of natural resources and the enhancement of the European economy at times of unparalleled geopolitical and environmental challenges.
While the Strategy’s emphasis lies primarily on bio‑based industries and products, clear recognition of the essential role of primary production sectors, and particularly forestry, in providing sustainably sourced biomass for a growing range of applications is welcomed. European forest owners call on the EU co‑legislators to reinforce and strengthen these messages in the upcoming Council conclusions and European Parliament report.
1. Sustainable Forest Management and the role of Forest Europe
The Strategy’s acknowledgement of locally adapted Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) practices reflects a core principle of European forestry. The balanced approach of the three pillars of sustainability, environmental, social and economic, according to SFM principle is crucial for a strong European bioeconomy. CEPF therefore welcomes the Commission’s commitment to cooperate with Forest Europe, the long‑standing intergovernmental framework that has shaped Europe’s SFM criteria since 1993[1]. European forest owners remain committed to advancing SFM within this framework, ensuring that the concept continues to guide European forest-related policies.
2. Domestic Renewable Biomass and Strategic Autonomy
At a time when Europe’s strategic autonomy is deeply tied to secure access to sustainable raw materials, the EU must deliver a strong political signal in favour of domestically sourced renewable biomass. While increased use of secondary raw materials improves resource efficiency, it cannot replace the need for a continuous supply of primary biomass from sustainably managed multifunctional forests. A competitive, scalable forest‑based bioeconomy requires clear support for active forest management and sustained growth of Europe’s renewable forest resource base.
3. A Streamlined and Predictable Policy Framework
A coherent and predictable regulatory framework is essential to incentivize forest owners to manage their forests actively and sustainably. Simplification of existing policies, enabling climate change adaption and resilience as well as the recognition of established sustainability standards should remain a priority. Therefore, any introduction of new, harmonized EU-level sustainability criteria or any potential mandatory EU-level certification framework should be avoided. This is necessary not only to ensure stable conditions for investment but also to secure a predictable policy framework helping the transfer of family-owned forests from one generation to another, which is vital for continuity in forest management and resilience.
4. Climate Policy: From “Sink only” to “Sink – Substitution”
Forests play a central role in climate mitigation and adaptation. However, Europe can no longer rely solely on the forest carbon sink, especially given climate‑related disturbances that are reducing its stability. The Strategy acknowledges the substitution effect of forest‑based products, particularly through ongoing work on the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methods, but CEPF believes that a stronger political message is needed. The substitution effect must be clearly recognized in EU climate legislation, especially in the upcoming revision of the LULUCF Regulation beyond 2030.
5. Multifunctionality and Market‑Based Tools
Production of sustainable wood biomass does not come at the expense of ecosystem health. On the contrary, multifunctional and actively managed forests deliver a broad range of ecosystem services. Voluntary and market‑based instruments, such as nature‑related credits, may contribute to diversified income streams — provided that they complement rather than impede timber production and the broader multifunctionality of forests.
6. Delivering the Vision for 2040
European forest owners support the Commission’s message, as envisioned in the Strategy: “The bioeconomy represents a strategic opportunity of the 21st century - a driver of green growth, competitiveness and resilience.” The EU Bioeconomy Strategy marks the beginning of the era in EU policy to turn more toward domestic resources and valorize them in a sustainable and circular manner. European forest family forest owners have been at the forefront of sustainable forest management to provide wood and ecosystem services for society and economy and stand ready to turn the Strategy’s vision into action.
[1] https://foresteurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/MC_helsinki_resolutionH1.pdf
