Briefings

	Briefings For more briefings check the Archive
July 2005	Live or let die? an evaluation of the fifth session of the United Nations Forum on Forests A FERN briefing discussing the failure of UNFF5 and providing a series of recommendations for the future. OPEN (PDF 214KB)		Articles Briefings EU documents EU Forest Watch Platform News NGO statements Press releases Reports Annual reports Archive Publications by subject
June 2005	Finding solutions to illegal logging: civil society and the FLEGT Support Plan FERN and Telapak outline the possibilities and limitations of the FLEGT Support Plan - an EC co-operation project aimed at tackling illegal logging and promoting the role of forests within Indonesia's sustainable development. OPEN (PDF 239KB)
June 2005	After the tsunami : EC and environment in rebuilding Indonesia OPEN (PDF 640KB)
June 2005	Carbon 'offset' - no magic solution to 'neutralise' fossil fuel emissions OPEN (PDF 641KB)
May 2005	Forest Loss and Human Health Briefing focusing on the interdependence between forests and human health and reflects these concerns in the policies, programmes and projects of the EU OPEN (PDF 55KB)
May 2005	FERN launches a new series of briefings aimed at informing Brussels decision-makers of new developments in ECA practices at policy and project level. The first two briefings are: Campaign Corruption: European ECAs under scrutiny OPEN (PDF 48KB) The Baku-Tiblisi-Ceyhan pipeline: exporting an environmental “timebomb” OPEN (PDF 38KB)
April 2005	Court of Auditors' Report: Forestry measures within the Rural Development Policy OPEN (PDF 169KB)
February 2005	FERN Briefing Note/EU Forests: Hungary - forest degradation with State assistance The first in a series of FERN briefings on new EU Member States, by Benedek JÁVOR – László GÁLHIDY of Védegylet – Protect the Future Society OPEN (PDF 205KB)
February 2005	In Russian: Europe and North Asia FLEG: a key task for civil society This FERN/TRN briefing introduces the latest development in the attempt to fight illegal logging through the global FLEG/T (Forest Law Enforcement and Governance/and Trade) initiatives. The ENA-FLEG will be launched with its first Ministerial Conference in Russia some time in 2005. OPEN (PDF 421KB)
January 2005	FERN, Greenpeace and WWF's Principles for FLEGT Parternship agreements Joint briefing on the essential principles for parternship agreements developed within the FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) process. Available in English (PDF 546KB), Spanish (136KB) and French (115KB)
December 2004	Forest Focus This FERN/TRN briefing introduces the EU's Forest Focus Regulation and discusses critical areas and opportunities for NGO participation. OPEN (PDF 143KB)
December 2004	All change: a proposal for a new instrument on development and economic co-operation A FERN Briefing Note summarising the main elements of the Commission's recent proposal to simplify EC development aid, together with FERN's key concerns and recommendations. OPEN (PDF 555KB)
December 2004	Europe and North Asia FLEG: a key task for civil society This FERN/TRN briefing introduces the latest development in the EU's attempts to fight illegal logging through the global FLEG/T (Forest Law Enforcement and Governance/and Trade) initiatives. The ENA-FLEG will be launched with its first Ministerial Conference in Russia some time in 2005. OPEN (PDF 293KB)
November 2004	Habitats Directive and Natura 2000 Briefing paper by TRN and FERN. Focusing specifically on forests the briefing assesses current implementation plans and the potential for NGO participation. OPEN (PDF 222KB)
November 2004	Blood from a stone: can the new EU Directive on access to information force ECAs to open up? Briefing note by FERN assessing the potential and limitations for the Directive in forcing ECAs to open up their business to scrutiny. OPEN (PDF 506KB)
June 2004	Special Report on UNFF: UNFF failing its mandate - 4th Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests OPEN (PDF 312KB)
April 2004	UNFF Effectiveness - Briefing 1: Monitoring and assessing progress through reporting In this briefing note (PDF 207KB) FERN looks at the fulfilment, or lack thereof, of government commitments on monitoring and assessing progress through reporting, based on criteria developed at UNFF2.	HTML
February 2004	Can a legally-binding agreement for forests make a difference? FERN briefing OPEN
February 2004	New threats to the forests and forest peoples of the Democratic Republic of Congo Briefing from the Rainforest Foundation OPEN	208k
December 2003	Forest fraud: say no to fake carbon credits FERN and SinksWatch are calling for EU governments to exclude carbon sinks projects from their climate project portfolios at COP9 in Milan Briefing: Forest fraud: say no to fake carbon credits (PDF,700k) Fake 'credit card' leaflet (PDF, 236k)
November 2003	Undermining lives in Laos Briefing from Friends of the Earth on the Sapon copper mine in Laos which is seeking funding from the European Investment Bank OPEN	MS Word
July 2003	Eco-labels, forest certification and the WTO Brief introduction to issues and positions in the run-up to the WTO Ministerial in Cancun OPEN	303k
July 2003	Steps to stop illegal logging Analysis of the European Commission's action plan to stop illegal logging OPEN	HTML
June 2003	List of EU Export Credit Agencies OPEN	HTML
June 2003	5 examples of Export Credit Agency projects and their impacts OPEN	HTML
April 2003	Consultation requirements for civil society in EC development policies and practices FERN briefing note encouraging NGOs and other civil society groups in the South to demand proper consultation in the development and implementation of the EC aid programme. English version (PDF, 62k) En français (HTML) En español (HTML)
March 2003	Introduction to EC Development Aid A briefing note from FERN explaining the different types of aid disbursed by the European Community and significant policies affecting how it is spent. OPEN	56k
February 2003	Responsibility abroad: How Export Credit Agencies impact on biodiversity Briefing note including two case studies OPEN	60k
January 2003	The Chad/Cameroon Oil & Pipeline Project: Lessons for BTC FERN briefing note written by Korinna Horta of Environmental Defense OPEN	56k
September 2002	Lesotho bribery conviction link to EU Export Credit Agencies News update for MEPs from the European ECA Reform Campaign OPEN	98k
April 2002	Illegal logging and ECAs A six-page briefing detailing how EU based Export Credit Agencies fund illegal logging. The briefing highlights cases in Peru, Indonesia and Bolivia. OPEN	68k
January 2002	Transparency in the EU OPEN	104k
January 2002	The Generalised System of Preferences (update) OPEN	100k
November 2001	Funding possibilities for indigenous peoples English version (PDF, 62k) Versión español (PDF, 65k)
November 2001	Legal briefing 1: CBD, State Sovereignty & Indigenous Peoples' Rights OPEN	28k
July 2001	Sinks in the Kyoto Protocol: A dirty deal for forests, forest peoples and the climate OPEN	1 MB
July 2001	Climate updates Ten briefings issued during the UNFCC climate negotiations October 2000 - July 2001 More info
March 2001	Forests and the Convention on Biological Diversity: A dossier of relevant articles and decisions Dossier prepared by the Global Forest Coalition. Lead Author: Simone Lovera, Sobrevivencia / Friends of the Earth-Paraguay. Available at http://www.wrm.org.uy
January 2001	The 8-country initiative OPEN	HTML
November 2000	Large-scale tree plantations have NO place in the Kyoto Protocol OPEN	HTML
October 2000	URGENT APPEAL: Release Montiel and Carrera OPEN	HTML
October 2000	Sinking the Kyoto Protocol OPEN	668k
May 2000	The EU's postion on tariff and non-tariff measures Background briefing from Fern on the EU's interest in trade negotiations that could eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers in the forest products sector OPEN	HTML
March 2000	The EU Phare Programme OPEN	HTML
April 2000	Major Group participation at the UNFF: What does it mean? OPEN	HTML
January 2000	The World Bank and the world's forests: a lost decade OPEN	HTML
November 1999	Non-tariff measures Fern's analysis of the final APEC study on non-tariff measures OPEN	HTML