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EU Forest Watch July/Aug 1998
Commission Shake-Up Continues The creation of a new technical and administrative service ('Service Commun Relex' - see EU Forest Watch 22) continues to cause havoc in the two Directorates-General involved with development aid.
In DG IB - Asia and Latin America - unit D4 (Environment, Tropical Forests, Women and Development) has been amalgamated into unit D2 (Sustainable Development). The National Expert who currently handles half of DG IB's tropical forest projects is leaving. The person who manages the other half is being assigned to a general supervision unit for the whole DG.
In DG VIII - Africa, Caribbean and Pacific - unit A1 (Sustainable Development and Natural Resources) will have a new head of unit from September. It is unclear whether the tropical forestry National Expert will be replaced when she leaves next year.
These changes go against the recommendations of an on-going evaluation of the Commission's tropical forest activities which suggests that staff need to be brought together in a 'tropical forest task force'. Instead, they are being reduced and dispersed. Management of DG IB's 70 tropical forest projects will now be handed over to just one person, a new National Expert. Ironically, DG IB and DG VIII are currently drafting a Communication on Tropical Forests, to argue that the Tropical Forest Regulation should be renewed at the end of 1999. But who will be left to manage the projects and formulate new policies. Austrian Presidency Priorities on Forests Fern has coordinated joint NGO recommendations1 on forests which were sent to the Austrian Presidency of the EU (1 July - 31 December '98).
The recommendations were signed by 11 NGOs, including WWF, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the World Rainforest Movement.
Five key issues were addressed: • climate change and forests, • EU policy on indigenous peoples and development cooperation, • EU Forest Strategy, • Forest certification, • transparency in development cooperation.
So far, positive responses1 have been received from the Austrian State Secretary (in charge of development aid) and from the Environment Ministry. No response has yet been received from the Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry.
The State Secretary assured us that sustainable forest development is becoming a key issue in development cooperation policy. The adoption of a resolution on indigenous peoples is already planned for the Austrian presidency. Transparency issues will be discussed at the next Development Council and in the context of Post-Lomé negotiations initiated under the presidency.
The Environment Ministry acknowledged the possible conflict between biodiversity and climate change interests if trees are planted solely to combat climate change. ?
Fern Launches New Website Fern launched its new website on 24 August 1998. The website is intended for use by NGOs, European Commission officials, MEPs and any others who take an interest in the EU's role with respect to forests.
The website is divided into five sections (those marked * are still under construction):
1. About Fern. This introduces Fern, explains why it focuses on the EU and what its activities are.
2. *Activities. This will give an overview of concrete activities which are being undertaken by Fern at present.
3. Publications. This section will include: • EU Forest Watch and Parliamentary questions - these will be posted up on the web every month, • Joint NGO statements which have been coordinated by Fern, • Briefings on issues relevant to the EU and forests, • *Press and email clippings.
4. What's New. • *Overview of the latest additions to the site, • Diary dates.
5. Links to: • Other NGO websites, • EU institutions, • Intergovernmental sites, • Research institutes, • ...and more. The address for the site is: http://www.gn.apc.org/fern Caribbean Forestry Policy Study The European Commission (DG VIII, Development) and the FAO have co-funded a Forestry Policy Study in the Caribbean. The process involved 18 countries (including some with valuable forest resources, such as Suriname, Belize, Guyana and Cuba), plus EU overseas territories.
The process culminated in an expert consultation held in Trinidad and Tobago from 25 to 28 May 1998. Representatives of governments, international institutions and NGOs discussed issues affecting the forestry sector in the region, and identified future actions for formulating and implementing policies. Three categories of issue were identified: 1. forest resources (including land use, water, forest concessions), 2. socio-economic aspects (including public investment, tourism, peoples' participation), 3. institutional aspects (including strengthening of capacity, policy formulation and implementation).
The expert consultation made a number of recommendations in a resolution1 and further analysis will be provided in a report1 to be published soon. A donor coordination meeting for the Guyana Shield is planned for late autumn.
ETC Final Report The European Working Group on Timber Chain of Custody (ETC) had its final meeting on 22 June (see EU Forest Watch 17 & 23). The purpose of the group was to develop joint recommendations for the European Commission. However, stakeholders were not able to reach an agreement. The final report1 gives a useful overview of all European certification initiatives and lists stakeholders agreements and disagreements.?
1. Available soon from Stefan Schardt, Fax: +49 30 2756 2212, timber@berlin.snafu.de 6 Country Initiative to Follow-Up IPF From 29 June to 3 July an International Expert Consultation took place in Baden-Baden, Germany to review the findings of the initiative entitled "Putting the Inter-governmental Panel on Forests' Proposals for Action into Practice". Prior to the consultation, the six countries involved (Finland, Germany, Honduras, Indonesia, Uganda, UK) assessed the IPF Proposals for Action at the national level through case studies. The Expert Consultation then reviewed the case studies and elaborated recommendations for input to the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests second session (IFF II).
Participants - including the European Commission - discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the proposals. NGO representatives emphasized the importance of: land tenure rights; underlying causes of deforestation and forest degradation; the influence of international trade; and adequate participation processes reflecting the needs of all stakeholders. The meeting’s conclusions and recommendations will be circulated at IFF II. ?
For more information contact: Marlene.Steigerwald@gtz.de
Available from Fern: ' Report on the National Case Studies of Finland, Ger-many, Honduras, Indonesia, Uganda,UK' EFICS Regulation Extended The European Forestry Information and Communication System (EFICS) has been extended until 2002 (by amendment to Regulation 1615/89). The financial reference amount for implementing the programme remains the same, at 3.9MECU for the period 1989-2002.
The purpose of EFICS is to collect, coordinate, process and disseminate data concerning the forestry sector in order to: • improve consideration of forestry interests in international discussions, • facilitate the implementation of EU forest related measures, • improve access to information on the forestry sector for the public, • improve quality and reliability of forestry data in close collaboration with other international institutions. EU Forest Agenda
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