About us

What is Forest Europe?

FOREST EUROPE (The brand name of the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe) is the pan-European voluntary high-level political process for dialogue and cooperation on forest policies in Europe. FOREST EUROPE develops common strategies for its 47 signatories (46 European countries and the European Union) on how to protect and sustainably manage their forests. Since 1990, the collaboration of the ministers responsible for forests in Europe has had a great economic, environmental and social impact on the national and international level. FOREST EUROPE has led to achievements such as the guidelines, criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management.

With the aim of agreeing on how to manage forests in Europe, FOREST EUROPE process periodically hosts ministerial level conferences where ministerial commitments and resolutions are adopted.

The political decisions and resolutions made under FOREST EUROPE are voluntary, and by endorsing these commitments countries show their willingness and interest to protect and sustainably manage their forests.

Commitments endorsed by the ministers serve as a framework for implementing sustainable forest management in the European countries, adapted to their national circumstances and done in a coherent way with the rest of the region, and strengthen international cooperation at the same time.

FOREST EUROPE is involved with other global and regional processes and initiatives dealing with issues of highest political and social relevance related to forests.

Slovakia currently holds FOREST EUROPE co-chairmanship together with Spain. At the 7^thFOREST EUROPE Ministerial Conference the Slovak Republic took over the chairmanship (held by Spain since the Oslo Ministerial Conference until the Madrid Ministerial Conference). At the beginning of 2016 the Liaison Unit Bratislava started to operate, taking over the work from the Liaison Unit Madrid.

Our Structure

FOREST EUROPE Structures, Procedures and Work Modalities (Annex I of the document)

Ministerial Conferences

Ministerial conferences represent the most important events of FOREST EUROPE work on sustainable forest management and related issues. At ministerial conferences the ministers responsible for forests in Europe take decisions on issues of highest political and social relevance regarding forests and forestry. Ministerial Conferences on the Protection of Forests in Europe took place in 1990 in Strasbourg, in 1993 in Helsinki, in 1998 in Lisbon, in 2003 in Vienna, in 2007 in Warsaw, in 2011 in Oslo and in 2015 in Madrid.

Expert Level Meetings

The FOREST EUROPE Expert Level Meeting (ELM) is the decision-making body between ministerial conferences. The Expert Level Meetings are attended by representatives of the FOREST EUROPE signatories (46 European countries plus the European Union) as well as by observers from non-European countries, international organisations including stakeholders such as environmental and social NGOs, forest and land owners’ federations, forest industry and the scientific community. At these meetings the delegates of FOREST EUROPE signatories have the mandate to take decisions regarding implementation of commitments made by the ministers and to prepare upcoming ministerial conferences.

Round Table Meetings

Round table meetings are platforms for strategic discussions and exchange of information and views on emerging issues. These meetings aim at exchange of information and opinions, to provide essential guidance for the implementation of FOREST EUROPE decisions as well as on strategic developments of FOREST EUROPE.

Working Groups, Seminars and Workshops

FOREST EUROPE working groups, seminars and workshops represent ad hoc work focused on specific subjects of scientific, technical or political nature. Depending on the subject, these meetings are attended by FOREST EUROPE representatives as well as by nominated experts from specific areas. The results of these meetings are presented for consideration to the subsequent Expert Level Meeting.

Supportive Structures:

General Coordinating Committee

The General Cordinating Committee (GCC) coordinates the FOREST EUROPE work and advises the Liaison Unit on implementation of FOREST EUROPE decisions and on strategic developments. The General Coordinating Committee is also responsible for funding of the Liaison Unit and its activities. Currently, the GCC is constituted by five countries: Spain, Slovak Republic, Turkey, Germany and Sweden. In accordance with the established practice of FOREST EUROPE, the General Coordinating Committee consists of the country which holds the chairmanship of the process and will convene the next Ministerial Conference, the country which organised the previous Ministerial Conference and three more countries which will succeed in the line of chairing FOREST EUROPE.

The first two conferences were organised jointly by France and Finland and then Finland and Portugal, on their own initiative. At the second Ministerial Conference, in Helsinki, the participants recognised the continuity and guiding of the follow-up of the process in hands of a co-chairmanship and placed a structure of cooperation in the form of the GCC. The committee, on a voluntary basis and regionally balanced, was first constituted by three countries and broadened to five countries afterwards.

The following countries have been a member of the GCC since the beginning of the Ministerial Conference process: France, Finland, Portugal, Austria, Poland, Norway, Spain, Slovakia, Germany, Sweden and Turkey.

Liaison Unit

The Liaison Unit is the support office of the proccess. It organises and carries out all FOREST EUROPE meetings and prepares reports and necessary documentation for the meetings.

The Liaison Unit is located in the country which holds the chairmanship of FOREST EUROPE – currently in Zvolen, Slovakia, under the name of Liaison Unit Bratislava. At the 7^th FOREST EUROPE Ministerial Conference the Slovak Republic took over the chairmanship (held by Spain since the Oslo Ministerial Conference until the Madrid Ministerial Conference) and at the beginning of 2016 the Liaison Unit Bratislava started to operate, taking over the work from the former Liaison Unit Madrid.

Vision & Mission

With the Oslo Ministerial Decision on European Forests 2020 FOREST EUROPE’s signatories defined a shared vision:

To shape a future where all European forests are vital, productive and multifunctional. Where forests contribute effectively to sustainable development, through ensuring human well-being, a healthy environment and economic development in Europe and across the globe. Where the forests’ unique potential to support a green economy, livelihoods, climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, enhancing water quality and combating desertification is realized to the benefit of society.

Accordingly we have taken on a clear mission to advance the realization of the shared vision, goals and 2020 targets:

FOREST EUROPE enhances the cooperation on forest policies in Europe under the leadership of ministers, and secures and promotes Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) with the aim of maintaining the multiple functions of forests crucial to society.

To fulfil this mission, FOREST EUROPE will undertake tasks that include developing and updating policies and tools for sustainable management, monitoring, assessing and implementing commitments on forests, promoting education and research and raising awareness and understanding of the contributions of FOREST EUROPE to Sustainable Forest Management.

Main Achievements

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Signatories

Signatory Countries

46 European countries and the European Union are the signatories to FOREST EUROPE. These countries together form the pan-European region.

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Observers

Since its start in 1990, the dialogue within FOREST EUROPE has succeeded in intensifying political and scientific communication in Europe and establishing close and successful co-operation on a wide range of issues related to forests and forestry. The dialogue involves a wide range of stakeholders, including environmental and social NGOs, forest owners’ associations, the forest industry and intergovernmental organisations active at international level, as well as non-European countries.