Activities of Carmen AVRAM related to 2019/2157(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
The European Forest Strategy - The Way Forward (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the European Forest Strategy - The Way Forward
Amendments (148)
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)
Citation 5 a (new)
— having regard to Regulation No 1143/2014 of the EP and the Council on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species and the consecutive Implementing regulations with updates of the List of invasive species, among which also tree species,
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 a (new)
Citation 9 a (new)
— having regard to the Mid-Term Review of the Biodiversity Strategy to 2020,
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 a (new)
Citation 16 a (new)
— having regard to the responsibilities of the EU States under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD),
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 b (new)
Citation 16 b (new)
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas more than 3 million people in the EU are employed by the EU forest sector and these jobs are dependent on resilient forest ecosystems in the long- term;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the global demand of authentic wild nature is growing, and public support for strict protection of forest ecosystems has increased significantly;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union makes no reference to a common EU forest policy, and responsibility for forests lies with the Member States, but whereas the EU has a long history of contributing, through its policies, some of which already have implications on the Member States' forestry policies, to sustainable forest management (SFM) and the Member States’ decisions on forests;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union makes no reference to a common EU forest policy, and responsibility for forests lies with the Member States, but whereas the EU has a long history of contributing, through its policies, to sustainable forest management (SFM) and the Member States’ decisions on forests;forest protection inherently forms part of the environmental action for which Community competence is founded on Article 191 of the Treaty1a; _________________ 1aCourt judgement for Joined cases C- 164/97 and C-165/97
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion
Recital B c (new)
Recital B c (new)
Bc. whereas illegal logging is ongoing also in the EU5a _________________ 5aexamples Romania, Sweden, Poland https://ec.europa.eu/environment/forests/p df/Briefing%20note%20May- June%202019_Final.pdf and https://ec.europa.eu/environment/forests/p df/Briefing_Note_April_- _May_2018_Public_version.pdf
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas approximately 40% of EU's forests are publicly owned, Member States are obliged to set an example for sustainable forest management in their publicly owned forests for the public good;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas only 26 % of forest species and 15 % of the forest habitats are in favourable conservation status;
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas Europe’s forests are of immense value in terms of climate mitigation, since they absorb and store 10 % of EU carbon emissions; whereas they store about 2.5 times more C in soils than in tree biomass 1a , highlights therefore the importance of complex forest ecosystems for the terrestrial carbon cycling in Europe; _________________ 1aBrunoDe Vos et al., Benchmark values for forest soil carbon stocks in Europe: Results from a large scale forest soil survey, Geoderma, Volumes 251–252, August 2015,Pages 33-46
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas European forests absorb and store approximately 10% of EU carbon emissions, contributing thus to climate change mitigation efforts;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas illegal logging is ongoing also in the EU3a _________________ 3aexamples Romania, Sweden, Poland https://ec.europa.eu/environment/forests/p df/Briefing%20note%20May- June%202019_Final.pdf and https://ec.europa.eu/environment/forests/p df/Briefing_Note_April_- _May_2018_Public_version.pdf
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B d (new)
Recital B d (new)
Bd. whereas in order to preserve the full scale of forest biodiversity and functionality, together with the need for mitigation of climate change, a proportion of forest areas to be set aside any form of active human intervention is crucially needed;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas forests and the entire forest-based value chain are fundamental to the further development of the circular bioeconomy as they provide jobs, ensure economic welfare in rural and urban areas, deliver climate change mitigation and adaptation services, offer health-related benefits, and protect the biodiversity and prospects of mountainous and rural areas and combat desertification;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas high extinction rates of specialized forest species often observed in managed forests contradict the idea of sustainability of such management and calls into question the compatibility of active management and forest conservation for cases where full scale of forest biodiversity, and in particular the most threatened species, are the subject of conservation goals;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas riverside forests have a very important role to play being natural protection against increase of water level during floods, but also in terms of preserving humidity in a situation of rising global temperature; whereas they play a key role in preserving biodiversity, but also tend to absorb among others agricultural mineral residues through the groundwater, thus limiting the expose of rivers to polluting factors; whereas in some member states there have been some regional projects of replanting riverside forests at least several meters from the river shore;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas properly funded high- quality research, innovation, collection of information, maintenance and development of databases, best practise and knowledge sharing are of utmost importance for the future of EU´s multifunctional forests and for the entire forest-based value-chain, in light of the increasing demands being placed upon them and the needs to meet the multiple opportunities and challenges facing the society;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
C b. whereas intact ecosystems have greater capability to overcome environmental stressors, including changes to climate, than degraded ones as they have inherent properties that enable them to maximize their adaptive capacity, whereas they sustain large-scale ecological processes, such as natural disturbance regimes, which maintain disturbance adapted species and evolutionary lineages that are uniquely adapted to survive major seasonal temperature changes and landscape-level disturbances over time, such as large fires and insect infestations2a; _________________ 2aJames E. Watson et al, 2018: The exceptional value of intact forest ecosystems. In Nature Ecology& Evolution
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas the Rural Development Fund, in the framework of the CAP, has provided tools and resources to support the forestry sector and should continue to do in the post-2020 CAP, through a strong focus on Sustainable Forest Management (SFM);
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas sustainably managed forests are enormously important in guaranteeing jobs in rural areas, representing a benefit for human health, while at the same time making a vital contribution to the environment and biodiversity;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion
Recital C c (new)
Recital C c (new)
Cc. whereas the provisions of the LULUCF Regulation3a recognize that a carbon pool of deadwood in the forest is analogous to the long-lived harvested wood products as its carbon does not undergo instantaneous oxidisation, whereas deadwood constitutes crucial microhabitats on which number of species, including protected species, are dependent; _________________ 3aRegulation (EU) 2018/841 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas access to natural forest terrains and/or forest products comprise a crucial element for some breeds of domesticated or semi domesticated autochthonous and local breeds of animals, which have a high socio- economic and cultural value, such as the East Balkan swine or the Black Iberian pig; whereas the quality of the products from these animals depend highly on the presence of acorns and other forest products, which is why it is crucial to allow the breeders have access to the necessary conditions for the respective animal breeding;
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion
Recital C d (new)
Recital C d (new)
Cd. whereas forests are part of EU natural capital, on which the EU has competence to act 1a ; _________________ 1aTFEU Art 191 , such legal interpretation confirmed by court judgement of Joined Cases C-164/97 and C-165/97
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas the crucial role of sustainable forest management should be promoted to European society, which is increasingly disconnected from forests and forestry, underlining the multiple benefits forests provide under the economic, social and environmental, as well as cultural and historical point of view;
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion
Recital C e (new)
Recital C e (new)
Ce. whereas in order to preserve the full scale of forest biodiversity and functionality, together with the need for mitigation of and adaptation to climate change, a proportion of forest areas to be set aside any form of active human intervention is crucially needed;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas almost 23% of European forests are to be found in Natura 2000 sites, with the share in some Member States exceeding 50%, and almost half of the natural habitats in Natura 2000 areas are forests;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C c (new)
Recital C c (new)
Cc. whereas High Conservation Value Forests (HCV Forests) have a crucial role to play in preserving vulnerable habitats, but also in enhancing science; whereas some EU member states have adopted targeted policies towards HCVF, which is commendable; whereas the added value from these forests cannot be compared or measured in economic terms, which makes it difficult at times to be understood by forest owners, which is why some sort of compensatory mechanism could be further designed, if and where applicable;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C c (new)
Recital C c (new)
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C c (new)
Recital C c (new)
Cc. whereas according to the latest estimations, only 26% of forest species and 15% of the forest habitats were found to be in favourable conservation status1a; _________________ 1a https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/biodive rsity/forests/forest-dynamics-in-europe- and
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C d (new)
Recital C d (new)
Cd. whereas forests can be sources of both primary forest products such as wood, they provide for valuable secondary products such as mushrooms, truffles, herbs, honey and berries, which are very important for the economic activities in some regions of the Union;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C d (new)
Recital C d (new)
Cd. whereas it is clear that old growth forests, mixed stand forests and agroforestry offer climate, biodiversity and resilience benefits that exceed those of plantation forestry;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C d (new)
Recital C d (new)
Cd. whereas the demand of authentic wild nature globally is growing, and public support for strict protection of forest ecosystems has increased significantly;
Amendment 79 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the decision from the Commission to introduce a new forest strategy; stresses the need for the forest strategy to fully observe the principle of subsidiarityrecognize both competences of EU member states and the European Union in the area of protection of forests; emphasises, in this regard, the need for a holistic and consistent forest sStrategy that enhances the multifunctional role of forests and the forest-based sector in the EU and that promotes the far- reaching societal, economic and environmental benefits of forests; underlines the urgent need to prevent and managunderstand and manage accordingly the natural disturbances; highlights that the forest strategy should not be subordinate to any other sectoral strategybe built on an EU Biodiversity Strategy as laid down in the European Green Deal Communication;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C e (new)
Recital C e (new)
Ce. whereas agroforestry, defined as land use systems in which trees are grown in combination with agriculture on the same land unit, is a suite of land management systems, which boost overall productivity, generate more biomass, maintain and restore soils and provide a number of valuable ecosystem services;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C e (new)
Recital C e (new)
Ce. whereas socially and environmentally responsible hunting plays an important role also in forests and semi-forest regions through control of game or spread of disses on it, such as African swine fever;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C e (new)
Recital C e (new)
Ce. whereas new climate change adaptation and mitigation options arise, among them proforestation5a _________________ 5aproforestation - growing existing forests intact to their ecological potential, as in William R. Moomaw, 2019: Intact Forests in the United States: Proforestation Mitigates Climate Change and Serves the Greatest Good. In Frontiers in Forests and Global Change
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C f (new)
Recital C f (new)
Cf. whereas the provisions of the LULUCF Regulation6a accept that carbon pool of deadwood in the forest is analogous to the long-lived harvested wood products as its carbon does not undergo instantaneous oxidisation, whereas deadwood constitutes crucial microhabitats on which number of species, including protected species, are dependent; _________________ 6a Regulation (EU) 2018/841 OF THE EUROPEANPARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 30 May2018
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C f (new)
Recital C f (new)
Cf. whereas forests play a crucial role in the fight against soil erosion, but also desertification of land masses; whereas studies show that trees in parks and city- environment have positive effect on keeping lower temperatures as compared to treeless areas;
Amendment 90 #
Cg. whereas in the current programming period (2014-2020) there are measures in the CAP targeted at helping economic actors in building capacities with regard to forestry management;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C g (new)
Recital C g (new)
Cg. whereas the proposed climate law considers increased ambition without improving and correcting rules guiding the EU energy union and climate action;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C h (new)
Recital C h (new)
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C i (new)
Recital C i (new)
Ci. whereas global voluntary certification schemes for responsible forest practices certification such as the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) are currently in place; where as of today 11 EU member states have introduced the FSC certification system together with 45 other states or other territories;
Amendment 109 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that according to scientific research, sustainably managed forests6a there is a reduction in forest carbon stocks as a result of increased wood harve a higher CO2 absorption capacity than unmanaged forestssting, and the long periods required (decades to centuries) before the initial increase in emissions is reabsorbed.; urges, therefore, that the new forest strategy should promote sustainable forest management; recognises the positive impact of sustainable forest management, in particular non-intervention management, on European forest biodiversity; notes that forest protection and production do notcan act in contradiction, but canould in fact be complementary to one another;atible with one another and have positive result also for climate when principles of nature-based solutions are adopted7a; _________________ 6aEuropean Academies Science Advisory Council, February 2019: Forest bioenergy, carbon capture and storage, and carbon dioxide removal: an update 7aEEA, December 2019: The European environment - state and outlook 2020
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recognises that the eight plus one priority areas of the strategy have been implemented with relatively few impediments, with the exception of ongoing challenges in the areas of ‘What forests do we have and how are they changing?’ and ‘Fostering coordination and communication’specifically concerning the public perception and information on the forestry sector and ‘Fostering coordination and communication’, specifically concerning forest-related policies;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recognises that the eight plus one priority areas of the strategy have been implemented with relatively few impediments, with the exception of ongoing challenges in the area of biodiversity, where the reports show no improvement so far, and in the areas of ‘What forests do we have and how are they changing?’ and ‘Fostering coordination and communication’;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Takes note of the fact that forests fulfil several, often-conflicting objectives (including regulating water quality, biodiversity protection and providing raw materials for paper, construction and energy), which is why, as a result, many of these forests fall consequently under distinct domains where the EU is competent, such as energy, agriculture, environment, climate and water, and many European Commission Directorates General are engaged in forest related issues1a although forests per se remain outside the realm of EU competences; calls, therefore, on the Commission and the Directorates Generals with forest- related competences to work strategically to ensure coherence in any forestry- related work and enhance the sustainable management of forests; as well as to review its organisational structures relevant to forest, agroforestry and the forest-based sector to ensure effective implementation of the strategy; _________________ 1ahttps://www.mdpi.com/1999- 4907/9/3/125/htm#
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Highlights the fact that a definition of SFM was agreed as part of the pan- European FOREST EUROPE process; notes that the definition has been incorporated into national legislation and voluntary systems, such as forest certifications, in place in the Member States; welcomes the introduction of the FSC certification in the member states, which have put it in place and urges the remaining member states to speed up the necessary procedures to follow suit;
Amendment 127 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Stresses that according to research4a old-growth forests and forest grew old continue to accumulate carbon, contrary to the view that they are carbon neutral or even sources of CO2; _________________ 4a S.Luyssaert et al., 2008: Old-growth forests as global carbon sinks. In Nature
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Stresses that while the maintenance of biodiversity is mentioned in several policy documents, the actual quantified rate of forest biodiversity loss cannot be evaluated based on the data collected for the Pan-European Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management7a _________________ 7aForest Europe, 2015: Goals for European Forests, available at: https://foresteurope.org/wp- content/uploads/2016/11/MID_TERM_Ev aluatG2020T_2015.pdf
Amendment 131 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Reiterates the fact that conservation of high-carbon ecosystems, including forests, represents a response option with immediate impact on climate change, unlike afforestation, reforestation and restoration which take more time to deliver8a, calls for policy actions in the EU to be guided by this principle; _________________ 8aIPCC, 2019: Climate Change and Land Report-Summary for Policymakers
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Underlines the crucial importance of forest habitats and their favourable status for implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 d (new)
Paragraph 4 d (new)
4d. Stresses therefore particular importance of the Carpathian region and notes that the EU accession to the Carpathian convention would be of relevance to provide support to the region which holds irreplaceable natural values in continental Europe;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 e (new)
Paragraph 4 e (new)
4e. Highlights significant unused carbon sequestration potential of European forests;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Emphasises that the EU’s forests are multifunctional and characterised by great diversity, including differences in ownership patterns, size, structure, biodiversity, resilience and challenges; points out, in addition, that forests offer society a wide variety of ecosystem services including raw materials, improved air quality, absorbing and storing around 10% of EU carbon emissions thereby significantly contributing to climate change mitigation efforts, clean water, erosion control, and protection from droughts, floods and avalanches;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Emphasises that the EU’s forests are multifunctional and characterised by great diversity, including differences in ownership patterns, size, structure, biodiversity, resilience and challenges; points out, in addition, that forests offer society a wide variety of ecosystem services including supporting ecosystem services, raw materials, improved air quality, clean waterdrinking water provision and groundwater recharge, erosion control, and protection from droughts, floods and avalanches, cultural ecosystem services and they foster biodiversity;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Notes that forested areas vary a great deal across the Member States; refers in this connection to the particularly valuable role of stable mixed forests including native species of trees suited to the local conditions and the essential part that mixed forests play in ecosystems and the contribution they make to biodiversity; calls on the Member States to support forest owners in their efforts to maintain and establish native mixed forests characteristic of the local area;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Notes with concern that at EU level, reported data indicate that energy accounts for 48% of total use of woody biomass1a, reiterates in this respect that significant financial resources are allocated to support schemes for early energy recovery from biomass; _________________ 1aCamia A., Robert N., Jonsson R., Pilli R., García-Condado S., López-Lozano R., van der Velde M., Ronzon T., Gurría P., M’Barek R., Tamosiunas S., Fiore G., Araujo R., Hoepffner N., Marelli L., Giuntoli J., 2018: Biomass production, supply, uses and flows in the European Union. First results from an integrated assessment
Amendment 153 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Emphasises the important role forests can play in substituting to some extent fossil- based materials with bio-based products; believes that the new forest strategy should reflect the importance of the role played by European forests and the EU’s circular bio- economy in reaching climate neutrality by 2050 and that measures to this end should be included;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes that forests and other wooded areas cover at least 43 % of the surface of the EU and that the sector employs at least 500 000 people directly3 and 2.6 million indirectly in the EU4 ; stresses that this workforce is dependent on a well- preserved and sustainably managed forest ecosystem in the long term; _________________ 3 Eurostat database on forestry, available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/forestry/d ata/database 4European Parliament fact sheet of May 2019 on the European Union and forests.
Amendment 158 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Recalls the letter of more than 700 scientists calling for a scientifically-sound revision of the Renewable Energy Directive, in particular excluding certain types of woody biomass from counting towards the target and from the eligibility to receive support;
Amendment 162 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Points out that over 60 % of the productive forests in the EU, and over 20 % worldwide are certified according to Sustainable Forest Management voluntary standards; notes also that the share of the round wood stemming from certified forests processed by the wood- based industries globally is higher than 20 % and that this share is reaching 50% in the EU;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Points out that the Member States are obliged to undertake sustainable forestry management in their public forest ownership in exemplary fashion; this applies in particular to environmental, economic and social aspects;
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Stresses that around 60% of the EU´s forests are privately owned; supports all measures improving the exchange of information and best practises as regards the implementation of sustainable forest management;
Amendment 168 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Recognises that long-term investments in SFMand adequate funding and compensation mechanisms can help ensure that forests´ remain not only economically viablesilience and adaptive capacity and help the forest sector to stay economically viable and environmentally sound, but also contribute to achieving the many goals of the EU, including the successful implementation of the European Green Deal and the transition to a circular bioeconomy;
Amendment 171 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 d (new)
Paragraph 3 d (new)
3d. Stresses particular importance of the Carpathian region and notes that EU accession to Carpathian convention would be of relevance to provide support to the region which holds irreplaceable natural values in continental Europe;
Amendment 172 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 e (new)
Paragraph 3 e (new)
Amendment 176 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that research and technology have come a long way since the forest strategy was introduced in 2013; stresses the importance of encouraging further research in forestry and bio-based products and and that science is now unequivocal that parts of the bio-based economy were and are a false solution, in particular when it comes to bioenergy; stresses the importance of encouraging further research in forestry and bio-based products and incorporating scientific findings into policy to turn bioeconomy into a no regret and success story, believes that EU funds for research should be further directed towards this; stresses that more research and funding would make a positive contribution to climate change mitigation, sustainable economic growth and employment, especially in rural areas;
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Acknowledges the crucial climate benefits of forests and the forest-based sector; highlights the need to increase CO2 sequestration in forests and agroforests, and their soils, carbon storage in wood- based products and the substitution of fossil-based materials and energy;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Notes that wood is the only material capable of sequestering CO2 and calls on the Commission to promote its use in long-life products and as a substitute for energy- and resource- intensive materials such as plastic, aluminium and concrete, particularly in the construction sector; calls for this benefit to be taken into account and rewarded in the EU's revised climate and energy framework;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Regrets the fact that although forests in the EU are managed according to the commonly agreed principle of SFM and forest cover in the EU has been increasing over the past decades, the quality of forests is worsening in many areas; welcomes therefore that a different approach to SFM has been developed in the context of the recently agreed regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment and amending Regulation 2019/2088 on sustainability- related disclosures in the financial services sector;
Amendment 201 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Reminds that there are several tree species in the List of invasive alien species of Union concern; notes that other invasive alien plants can also be met in forests; calls on all state, regional or local authorities as well as to any other stakeholder from the public, private or non-governmental sector, to include only local varieties of trees suitable for the given regions, while implementing various forest (re)planting projects and activities; calls also to the national responsible authorities to exchange information and best practicing with their partners from other member states on how to overcome the spread of invasive alien species in the forests and if possible how to reduce their presence with the aim of replacing them fully with local varieties;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Underlines the importance of resilient and healthy forest ecosystems including fauna and flora, in order to maintain and enhance delivery of multiple ecosystem services forests provide such as biodiversity, clean air, water, healthy soils, wood and non-wood raw-materials; highlights that voluntary tools and legislations in place, such as the EU Birds and Habitats directives, affect land management decisions and must be respected and implemented appropriately;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Notes that farmers and forest owners are key actors in rural areas; welcomes the recognition of the role of forestry, agro-forestry and forest-based industries in the Rural Development Programme of the 2014-2020 CAP, and the improvements introduced through the Omnibus Regulation; encourages to safeguard this recognition in the CAP 2021-2027 and in the implementation of the European Green Deal;
Amendment 209 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Expresses its concern over the health condition and resilience of forests in many parts of Europe; highlights the need to strengthen and make full use of EU mechanisms to tackle the transboundary pressures, including those man-induced, on forests from the spread of invasive alien species, pests, and diseases, excessive or illegal logging.
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Calls on the Member States to give the necessary provisions for breeders of autochthonous breeds of animals, which are dependent on access to forests, to get such smoothly so that jobs can be preserved in rural areas, which also preserves traditional knowledge and biodiversity, while at the same time providing quality products to the EU consumer;
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 c (new)
Paragraph 9 c (new)
9c. Encourages the Member States to intensify their respective forestry stakeholders to reach to a broader segment of the population through educational tools and programmes both for pupils, but also for people of the other age groups, stressing the importance of forests both for human-led activities, but also for preserving biodiversity and various ecosystems;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 3
Subheading 3
The future – the crucial role played by the post-2020 EU Forest Strategy and the European Green Deal in meeting the biodiversity-related and goals of the Paris Agreement
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to create economic and political instruments that will allow more forest to grow to their ecological potential and absorb carbon dioxide;
Amendment 232 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Calls for strict protection of EU's primary and old-growth forests as part of the EU Forest Strategy;
Amendment 232 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Welcomes the Commission’s 2020 Work Programme and especially the acknowledgment of the new EU Forest Strategy’s contribution to the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change; stresses, in this regard, that in future, forests should not be considered as the only type of CO2 sink as that would give other sectors less of an incentive to minimise their emissionsnd restoration action should therefore target also e.g. grasslands, wetlands and peatlands in particular; highlights, in addition, the importance of transitioning from a fossil-based to a truly low-carbon society;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Reiterates the call of the European Parliament10a for an EU-wide legally binding target to restore degraded habitats by 2030, including natural forests; _________________ 10aEuropean Parliament resolution of 16 January 2020 on the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (2019/2824(RSP))
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11b. Reiterates the call of the European Parliament11a for consistent forest-related policies, which combat biodiversity loss and climate-change impacts, and which lead to an increase of the EU’s natural sinks while protecting, conserving and enhancing biodiversity; _________________ 11aEuropean Parliament resolution of 16 January 2020 on the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (2019/2824(RSP))
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Emphasises the crucial role of forests, agroforests, the forest-based sector and the bioeconomy in achieving the goals of the European Green Deal; stresses that achieving the EU’s environmental and climate goals will never be possible without multifunctional, healthy and sustainably managed forests and viable industries; encourages, in addition, actions tocalls on the Commission, in addition, to consider creating a special budget, outside the Common Agricultural Policy budget, to incentivise Member States to comply with EU-wide targets for increaseing forest cover, especially in areas not suitable for food production and those in proximity to urban areas, in order to mitigate adverse heat effects and pollution, while curbing deforestation;
Amendment 242 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Emphasises the crucial role of forests, the forest-based sector and the bioeconomy in achieving the goals of the European Green Deal; stresses that achieving the EU’s environmental and climate goals will never be possible without effectively protected forests and multifunctional, healthy and sustainably managed forests and viable industries; encourages, in addition, actions to increase forest cover; restore and improve the status of forest ecosystems and where appropriate, to increase forest cover to strengthen resilience and support local development;
Amendment 251 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Stresses that maximising sustainable self-sufficiency in wood as a raw material is in the interest of Europe's timber industry; points out that promoting short-rotation plantations might constitute a building-block of the energy transition as a way of reducing the pressure on forests;
Amendment 264 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
Amendment 272 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Calls on the Commission to make every effort to ensure, in the implementation of the Regional Development Fund, that particularly initiatives aimed at putting a stop to biodiversity loss in forests, promoting mixed- and native-species planting and improving forest management are fostered, and that projects are implemented and funding is targeted;
Amendment 274 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Considers that strictly protected areas in non- intervention management regime should be part of the EU Forest Strategy and of local development strategies based on low impact natural tourism and provisioning of non- productive ecosystem services;
Amendment 275 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Calls on the Commission to make every effort to ensure that communication in the Member States between forest owners and users, particularly those in the environmental protection, leisure, tourism and hunting sectors, has priority and is supported and promoted at local level; stresses in this connection the role of local partnership schemes, for example in the context of regional forest forums;
Amendment 281 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Takes the view that the EU Forest Strategy should act as a bridge between national forest and agroforest policies and EU objectives relating to forests and agroforests, recognising both the need to respect national competence and the need to contribute to wider EU objectives, while coherently addressing the specificities of both private forests and publicly owned ones;
Amendment 285 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Takes the view that the EU Forest Strategy should act as a bridge between national forest policies and EU objectives and competences relating to forests, recognising both the need to respect national competence and the need to contribute to wider EU objectives;
Amendment 288 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Calls on the Member States to improve national legislation to put in place, or strengthen where necessary, protection against illegal logging and loss of biodiversity;
Amendment 289 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Calls on the European Commission to encourage the commercialization of felled wood and trimmed wood/roundwood, instead of living trees from publicly-owned forests, as a method to prevent illegal logging and overexploitation, which would give state authorities more control over the volume of cut and commercialized wood, thereby discouraging illegal practices by privately contracted firms;
Amendment 302 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Calls on the European Commission to invest supplementary funds - additional to the budget already allocated to the CAP scheme - in an EU- wide action on reforestation, afforestation and to implement specific subsidies for forestry management and environmental protection, to contribute to the Green Deal 2050 climate change mitigation efforts;
Amendment 308 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Highlights the need to take into consideration the links between the forest- based sector and other sectors as well as the importance of digitalisation and investing in research and innovation, which can positively contribute to further solutions for climate change mitigation and job creation; stresses the crucial role of wood-based materials in substituting fossil-based alternatives in industries such as the construction industry, the textile industry, the chemical industry and the packaging industry;
Amendment 311 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Highlights the need to take into consideration the links between the forest- based sector and other sectors, notably agriculture, as well as the importance of digitalisation and investing in research and innovation; stresses the crucial role of wood-based materials in substituting fossil- based alternatives in industries such as the construction industry, the textile industry, the chemical industry and the packaging industry;
Amendment 316 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Takes the view that the cascade model is a forward-looking, resource- efficient principle in forest management; calls on the Commission in this regard to pay particular attention to the cascade model in European funding initiatives; notes that using wood for burning should be the final stage of the cascading use process;
Amendment 320 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Recognizes the value of wood for energy purposes, but calls on the Commission and Member States to consider introducing binding sustainability criteria for biomass, in order to avoid overexploitation of wood resources and forests;
Amendment 322 #
16b. Considers that the EU should encourage the use of locally-sourced timber, harvested wood products or forest biomass in order to minimise the carbon footprint created by transport of imports from third countries and to stimulate sustainable local production and jobs;
Amendment 332 #
17. Stresses that due to climate change, natural disturbances such as droughts, floods, storms, pest infestations, erosion and fires will occur more frequently, causing damage to forests in the EU; emphasises, in this context, the need to better prevent such events by making forests more resilient, for example by encouraging forest grazing and the conversion of at-risk forests to agroforests, through more research and innovation and by offering better support mechanisms for affected areas and properties sto they can beprotect and restored them;
Amendment 338 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Stresses that due to climate change and as a result of man-made changes, natural disturbances such as droughts, floods, storms, pest infestations, erosion and fires will occur more frequently, causing damage to forests in the EU; emphasises, in this context, the need to better prevent such events by makincreasing forests more’ resilientce, for example through research and innovation and by offering better support mechanisms for affected areas and properties so they can be restored;
Amendment 340 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Stresses that effective adaptation strategies will be crucial to lessening the detrimental impacts of climate change on forest fires and their negative effects in the rural economy, biodiversity and provision of ecosystems services; underlines the need for more resources and development of science-based fire management and risk-informed decision- making to tackle the effects of climate change in forests, taking into account the socio-economic, climate and environmental roots of forest fires;
Amendment 342 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Calls on the state or regional actors, which responsible for forests, to support either with adequate resources or expertise and knowledge the repopulation of riverside forests, where relevant, with local and/or specialised stakeholders, with the aim of creating biodiverse habitats, after the creation of which ecological services, such as absorption of harmful substances, which circulate through groundwaters, will be achieved;
Amendment 345 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Given the worrying increased risk of forest fires in Europe, calls on the European Commission to include support for silvopasture (forest grazing) within the agroforestry measure and to encourage Member States to implement it in the next Rural Development programme;
Amendment 347 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Highlights the benefits of heterogeneous landscape mosaics over large homogeneous areas of forest on biodiversity, enhancement of ecosystem services, resilience to climate change and in the prevention of forest fires; considers essential the promotion and support of the maintenance of agroforestry mosaics which, by creating discontinuities in land occupation, benefit forest management and helps counter the spread of forest fires, while promoting economic diversification and human occupation in territories of very low density;
Amendment 348 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Calls on the members states where secondary forest products play an important socio-economic role to develop and enhance guidelines, or where necessary also national legislation with regard to practicing these activities;
Amendment 349 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 c (new)
Paragraph 17 c (new)
17c. Calls on the member states to design initiatives for preserving and where necessary establishing HCV Forests with necessary mechanisms and instruments for incentivising and compensating, where applicable, forest owners, so that knowledge and science can advance vis-à-vis these forests, alongside preserving natural habitats;
Amendment 353 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Recognises the role of biodiversity in ensuring that forest ecosystems remain healthy and resilient; highlights the importance of the Natura 2000 sites; notes, however, that sufficient financial resources are needed to properly manage such areas; reiterates that strict protection may be needed in some particular cases;
Amendment 355 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Recognises the role of biodiversity in ensuring that forest ecosystems remain healthy and resilient; highlights the importance of the Natura 2000 sites; notes, however, that sufficientencourages further research into the relationship between biodiversity and resilience; notes, however, that technical advice and fresh financial resources are needed to manage such areas;
Amendment 376 #
21. Stresses the crucial importance of the CAP and forestry measures in implementing the EU Forest Strategy; encourages the continuity of forestry measures under the 2021-2027 CAP with the possibility of adding forestry activities to more measures than currently; highlights the need for other easily accessible, well-coordinated and relevant EU funding mechanisms; is worried at the same time that horizontal RDP measures such as “Young farmer” do not include forestry activities at least in some member states, which is illogical since investments in forestry often need intensive investment with return on investment coming back only in a few years’ time;
Amendment 386 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Stresses the crucial importance of the CAP and forestry measures in implementing the EU Forest Strategy; encourages the continuity of forestry measures under the 2021-2027 CAP, supported by an adequate budget to achieve the EU forest sector objectives; highlights the need for other easily accessible, well-coordinated and relevant EU funding mechanisms;
Amendment 388 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Stresses the crucial importance of the CAP, forestry and agroforestry measures in implementing the EU Forest Strategy; encourages the continuity of forestry and agroforestry measures under the 2021-2027 CAP; highlights the need for other easily accessible, well- coordinated and relevant EU funding mechanisms;
Amendment 394 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Takes note of the challenge for both farmers and administrators in identifying and monitoring the preservation of landscape features, in particular those aiming to protect scarce woody vegetation; calls on the European Commission to reduce and simplify the administrative requirements, in order to boost woody vegetation promotion and preservation linked to landscape features policies associated with Pillar I and Pillar II payments;
Amendment 395 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Highlights the benefits of the association between grazing and forest management, namely on fire risk decrease and reduced costs of forest maintenance via biomass control and on soil protection and soil fertility improvement; considers that research and knowledge transfer to practitioners regarding sustainable grazing techniques are crucial to guarantee forest regeneration in the long term and high quality forest products;
Amendment 398 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Calls on the member states to align the various strategies and plans for forestry management so that the respective targets can be followed and corrected accordingly in due course, instead of creating administrative mosaics, which then threatens achieving the goals set in these strategic documents;
Amendment 402 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21b. Takes note of the low uptake of the numerous measures within the 2014-2020 Rural Development Regulations designed to support the deliberate integration of woody vegetation with farming; therefore calls on the European Commission to bundle various agroforestry promotion initiatives in the post 2020 Common Agricultural Policy Reform into a unique “agroforestry” measure, which will promote the use of woody component in agrarian and forestry systems;
Amendment 403 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21b. Regrets the omission in the CAP proposal for the 2021-2027 programming period regarding agroforestry; considers fundamental for the next CAP regulation to recognise the benefits of agroforestry and continue promoting and supporting the establishment, regeneration, renovation and maintenance of agroforestry systems; calls on the European Commission to promote the uptake of agroforestry support measures by Member States in their Strategic Plans;
Amendment 404 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21b. Calls on the European commission together with its respective agencies and centers, where necessary to invest in and where necessary intensify the research on finding a solution to the spread of the Cryphonectria parasitica on chestnut trees and forests;
Amendment 408 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 c (new)
Paragraph 21 c (new)
21c. Notes that no specific funds are allocated to improve the management and restoration of already existing agroforestry lands in a clear way; calls on the European Commission to integrate maintenance payments for agroforestry similar to those of afforested/reforested lands;
Amendment 411 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 d (new)
Paragraph 21 d (new)
21d. Calls on the European Commission to support the promotion of the recognition of the high quality products and ecosystem services that agroforestry delivers, by appropriate market promotion and agroforestry identification, or labelling;
Amendment 412 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 e (new)
Paragraph 21 e (new)
21e. Acknowledges the lack of knowledge about agroforestry among many farmers; calls, therefore, on the European Commission to promote EU- wide specialised training programmes, in order to make farmers and female farmers aware of the benefits and the practice of integrating woody vegetation with agriculture at local, regional and global scales;
Amendment 414 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 f (new)
Paragraph 21 f (new)
21f. Recognizes the significant capacity of agroforestry to boost overall biomass productivity and therefore encourages the European Commission to treat it as a productive measure; underlines that such mixed ecosystems produce more biomass and absorb more atmospheric carbon and therefore encourages promotion of agroforestry systems;
Amendment 415 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 g (new)
Paragraph 21 g (new)
21g. Calls on the European Commission to implement a common maximum EU-wide annual growth quota (excluding the protected areas) for wood harvesting in forests, based on different national criteria;
Amendment 416 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 h (new)
Paragraph 21 h (new)
21h. Calls on the European Commission to consider the implementation of EU-wide binding graduated forestry techniques from non- intervention in strictly protected areas, to limited interventions such as ecological and hygienic clearing in buffer zones; regrets the unsustainable practices and illegal logging taking place in such areas in some Member States; further calls on the Member States to consider stringent penalties for flagrant violations and a more efficient and rapid implementation of such penalties;
Amendment 421 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Underlines the essential role of high-level research and innovation in fostering the contribution of forests, agroforests and the forest-based sector to overcoming the challenges of our time; stresses the importance of the EU’s post- 2020 research and innovation programmes and recognises the role of the Standing Committee on Agricultural Research;
Amendment 432 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Highlights the fact that global deforestation, illegal logging and forest degradation, including in Europe, are serious problems; points out that policy initiatives and enforcement mechanisms should be developed and improved to tackle issues outsidein the EU, with a focus on the tropics and the drivers of unsustainable practices in forests from outside the sectordrivers of biodiversity loss in forests with impact on the resilience and adaptation potential, and on illegal logging; stresses the need to foster the implementation of the EU Timber Regulation and the FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) action plan in order to prevent the entry of illegally sourced wood into the EU market;
Amendment 436 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Stresses the importance of education and skilled, well-trained workforce as it comes to the successful implementation of sustainable forest management in practice; calls on the Commission and the Member States to continue to implement measures and to use existing European instruments such as the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF) and the European training programmes (ET2020) to support generation renewal and to compensate for the skilled workforce shortage in the sector;
Amendment 437 #
23a. Calls on the Member States to encourage political measures which permit the use only of legally-harvested, sustainable timber in the public procurement of timber, timber products and biomass for energy, in accordance with the EU’s sustainability objectives, thereby ensuring deforestation-free supply chains, with the aim of minimising the loss of tropical forests;
Amendment 439 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Notes that digitalisation and sustainable technologies play a key role in providing added value in the further development of the forest-based sector; calls on the Commission and the Member States to encourage knowledge and technology transfer and sharing best practises on e.g. sustainable and active forest management;
Amendment 446 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Stresses the need to develop an EU- wide Forest Information and Monitoring System for Europe under the shared responsibility of all of the relevant Commission Directorates-General, that is able to provide real-time information on forest resources, monitor whether natural reserves and protected trees are well preserved and forecast and measure the impact of natural disasters and disturbances on forest condition and health; stresses the importance of science- based, balanced information with socio- economic indicators for the development of any forest-related EU policy;
Amendment 449 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Stresses the need to develop an EU- wide Forest Information System for Europe under the shared responsibility of all of the relevant Commission Directorates-General; stresses the importance of science-based, balanced information with socio-economic indicators for the development of any forest-related EU policy; notes that national forest inventories represent a comprehensive monitoring tool for assessing forestry stocks and take into account regional considerations;
Amendment 453 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Stresses the need to develop an EU- wide Forest Information System for Europe under the shared responsibility of all of the relevant Commission Directorates-General; stresses the importance of providing real- time, science-based, and balanced information on European forest resources and aiming at forecasting the impact of natural disturbances and their consequences with socio-economic indicators for the development of any forest-related EU policy;
Amendment 458 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Stresses the need to develop an EU- wide Forest Information System for Europe under the shared responsibility of all of the relevant Commission Directorates-General; stresses the importance of science-based, balanced information with environmental and socio-economic indicators for the development of any forest-related EU policy;
Amendment 459 #
24a. Welcomes the trend toward digitalization in the sector and calls on the European Commission to consider the implementation of an EU-wide digital wood-traceability mechanism for data gathering, consistent transparency, ensuring a level playing field, reducing uncompetitive behaviour and deliberate wrongful action in the wood trade, within and outside the EU, through a verification system; further takes the view that such a verification system would improve compliance, limiting and combating financial fraud, while hampering cartel practices and dismantling illegal logging logistical operations and movement; would further encourage exchanges of good practices with Member States which have already implemented such reforms at national level;
Amendment 461 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Reiterates the fact that conservation of high-carbon ecosystems, including forests, represents a response option with immediate impact on climate change, unlike afforestation, reforestation and restoration which take more time to deliver12a; calls for policy actions in the EU to be guided by this principle; _________________ 12a IPCC Climate Change and Land Report-Summary for Policymakers, 2019
Amendment 462 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Stresses that the Commission should support the Member States in forest protection and sustainable forest management and calls for appropriate legislation;
Amendment 464 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24b. Calls for strict protection prioritizing the protection of primary and old-growth forests with preserved structure, species richness and adequate area where these forests still persists, and enable and facilitate restoration in high- nature value areas mapped or designated for this purpose;
Amendment 465 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 c (new)
Paragraph 24 c (new)
Amendment 474 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Recalls the pledge of the Commission to zero tolerance to non- compliance, stresses that number of infringement cases currently open against the Member states1a address irreplaceable values of European forest ecosystems and urges the Commission to swiftly act in these; _________________ 1a e.g. Case 2018/4076 against Slovakia, Case 2020/2033 against Romania
Amendment 478 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Paragraph 25 b (new)
25b. Urges the Commission to prioritize effective enforcement of the nature legislation as part of the future Strategies, including the use of its prerogative to ask for a decision ordering interim measures and compel compliance through imposition of sanctions and penalty payments when there is a risk of irreparable damage to invaluable and irreplaceable natural values;
Amendment 482 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission, and to the governments and parliaments of the Member States.