Conservation and sustainable management of forests in developing countries

The European Union gives financial support to promote the conservation and sustainable management of forests in developing countries, with a view to meeting economic, social and environmental demands. As of 1 January 2007 the rules in question have been replaced by the Regulation establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation.

ACT

Regulation (EC) No 2494/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 November 2000 on measures to promote the conservation and sustainable management of tropical forests and other forests in developing countries [See amending acts].

SUMMARY

1. The conservation and sustainable management of forests are of critical importance for a healthy environment and sustainable development at a global level. This has been acknowledged in a number of international environmental instruments (Convention on biological diversity, Convention to combat desertification, etc.).

As a party to these Conventions, the Community is committed to take account of the common, but differentiated responsibilities of developed countries and developing countries in this connection.

This commitment was reflected at Community level in the adoption of Regulation (EC) No 3062/95 on operations to promote tropical forests.

As that Regulation was applicable only until 31 December 1999, the new Regulation is aimed at ensuring the continuation of Community activities concerning cooperation in forestry.

2. The Regulation lays down the rules whereby the Community can provide financial and/or technical assistance to promote the conservation and sustainable management of tropical and other forests in developing countries.

3. Activities carried out pursuant to the Regulation will have five main objectives:

• raising the status of forests and integrating forest policies into development planning;
• promoting the production and use of forest products from sustainably managed resources;
• contributing to the adequate valuation of forest resources and services;
• ensuring the participation of indigenous forest-dependent communities in the development of forest policies and in development planning;
• implementing coherent action in forests by coordinating Commission projects with those of the Member States.

4. In providing its financial and technical assistance, the Community will ensure that the activities contribute in particular to the following:

• development of appropriate national and international forest policy frameworks;
• conservation of forests which are recognised as being of high ecological value as well as restoration of degraded forest areas;
• sustainable forest management and utilisation (including forest certification, environmentally sound harvesting of wood, forest regeneration and ecological felling of wood);
• economic viability of sustainable forest management;
• knowledge and information generation and management concerning forest services and products.

Other factors will also be taken into account, including:

• environmentally and socially responsible entrepreneurship in the forest products production and marketing chain;
• direct participation of public and private organisations - cooperation partners in the developing countries - as well as of forest peoples;
• coherence of action in the regions concerned;
• participation of men, women and children in the management and use of forests;
• the sustainability of the proposed activities.

5. Priorities will be determined in accordance with the needs of each country concerning forests as well as Community objectives established in jointly agreed country strategy papers.

6. Operations will be mainly in the form of pilot projects, innovative programmes, training services, technical assistance, supplies, works, studies or research. Various types of organisation (States, regions, public bodies, non-governmental organisations, associations representing local people, co-operatives, private enterprises, etc.) will be eligible for Community aid. Participation in invitations to tender will be open to all natural and legal persons of the Member States and may be extended to other developing countries, under Regulation (EC) No 2110/2005.

7. For each cooperation project, a contribution will be sought from the partners within the limits of their means. Community financial support will take the form of non-reimbursable aid.

8. The Regulation provides for feasibility studies and environmental and socio-cultural impact assessments prior to the implementation of the proposed projects, as well as an ex post evaluation. Forest peoples will be properly informed before the implementation of an operation which affects them, such operations being conditional upon their support.

9. The Commission will be responsible for coordinating and administering operations covered by this Regulation. As regards operations with funding of EUR 3.5 million or more, the Commission will be assisted in the task by the committee responsible for development in the geographical area in question.

10. The Commission will submit an annual report to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of the Regulation and will regularly evaluate the financially supported schemes. Every two years it will publish strategic guidelines and priorities for implementing the activities to be carried out in the following years.

11. The Regulation provides for total funding of EUR 249 million for the period 2000-2006.

12. As of 1 January 2007 the Regulation has been repealed and replaced by the Regulation establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation (see "Related Acts" below).

RELATED ACTS

Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation [Official Journal L 378, 27.12.2006]. In the context of the 2007-2013 financial perspective, this Regulation establishes a financing instrument for development cooperation providing direct support for the Community's policy in this field. The policy is aimed at achieving the objectives of poverty reduction, sustainable economic and social development and the smooth and gradual integration of developing countries into the world economy. The Regulation repeals and replaces Regulation (EC) No 2494/2000 as of 1 January 2007.

Commission communication of 21 May 2003 - Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) - Proposal for an EU Action Plan [COM(2003) 251 final - Not Published in the Official Journal]. In this Communication, the Commission sets out a process and a series of measures designed to combat the growing problem of illegal logging and related trade. The main objective is to improve forest governance in the timber-producing countries and to establish voluntary partnership agreements with them to ensure that only legally-forested wood enters into the European Union.

Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament of 4 November 1999 - Forests and Development: the EC approach [COM(1999) 554 final ]. In this Communication, the Commission outlines the European approach for cooperating for development of the forestry sector. It identifies the areas of dialogue and assistance and sets out the actions aimed at achieving these objectives, while taking into account the experience gained in recent years.

Last updated: 16.04.2007