Tropical forests, developing countries: conservation and sustainable management

1999/0015(COD)
PURPOSE : to promote the conservation and sustainable management of tropical forests and other forests in developing countries. COMMUNITY MEASURE : Regulation 2494/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on measures to promote the conservation and sustainable management of tropical forests and other forests in developing countries. CONTENT : The Regulation is an important instrument to enable the Community to meet its commitments to the conservation and management of forests in the context of sustainable development. It will ensure the continuation of activities implemented under Council Regulation 3062/95/EC, after its expiry on 31/12/1999. The financial framework for implementing this Regulation during the period from 2000 to 2006 shall be EUR 249 million. This instrument shall complete and reinforce the actions provided under other Community instruments for development and co-operation. The activities to be carried out under this Regulation shall aim at: - Raising the status of forests in national policies and integrating forest policies based on sustainable forest management in development planning; - Promoting the production and use of wood and non-wood forest products from sustainability managed resources; - Contributing to the adequate valuation of forest resources and services; - Ensuring active participation of forest-dependent people and local communities in the development of national forest policies and in development planning; - Improving co-ordination and the flow of information between Commission and Member States projects so as to put in place coherent actions in that area. The activities to be financed shall address: - Development of appropriate national and international forest policy frameworks based on realistic valuation of forests, which include land use planning, equitable trade in sustainability produced forest products, legal and fiscal measures, etc. These shall take into account other sectoral policies which have an impact on forests and the interests and customary rights of forest-dependent people; - Conservation and restoration of forest which are considered to be of importance due to their high ecological value (protection of hydrographic basins, prevention of soil erosion, or of climate change); - Sustainable forest management and utilisation to provide economic, social and environmental benefits, and including inter alia, forest certification ·taking account of the different management conditions for small and large forest areas · and environmentally sound harvesting of both wood and non-wood forest products and natural and assisted forest regeneration; - Economic viability of sustainable forest management and marketing through more efficient utilisation of forest products and technical improvements of downstream activities related to the forest sector such as small and medium scale processing and marketing of wood and non-wood forest products, the sustainable use of wood as an energy source and the promotion of alternatives to agricultural practices based on forest clearing; - Knowledge and information generation and management concerning forest services and products, in order to provide a soundscientific basis. This instrument will finance strategic actions such as pilot projects and innovative actions in developing countries, and studies to increase the effectiveness of Community assistance and of developing countries' efforts for the conservation and sustainable management of forests. The priorities set out form a coherent framework for the Community's development co-operation on forests, addressing the development of appropriate national and international policy frameworks, forest conservation, sustainable forest management, improvement of downstream processing and marketing of forest products and applied research, with an overall objective of achieving sustainable development, as well as poverty reduction. Under this overall framework, the activities financed may address a broad range of forest issues, allowing for the necessary flexibility to respond adequately to new ideas and challenges, according to regional and countries' specific needs. Measures are also provided in order to ensure the transparency of Community action. The Commission shall be responsible for appraising, taking decisions to finance and administering activities covered by this Regulation. It will be assisted in its task by a geographically-determined committee responsible for development. Decisions relating to grants EUR 3.5 million or more for individual activities financed under this Regulation shall be adopted by the commission. The Commission shall submit an annual report to the European Parliament and the Council summarising the activities financed in the course of that year. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 18.11.2000.�