In the EU Green Deal, the Forest strategy for 2030 is one of the flagship initiatives. The strategy should contribute to reducing the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050.

Woods and forests provide a gigantic potential for carbon storage. Today, woods cover 43% of the EU’s landmass. Europe’s forests provide also the most sustainable raw material and the woodworking industries are a rich source of ever-new applications and wooden products. Wood is used in housing, infrastructure of diverse types and in numerous other industries, novel health technologies, and combinations with other types of material. The EU Green Deal offers many opportunities for forest-based industries in Europe. The EU Bioecnomy and Circular Economy strategies will lead to structural changes in the industries in the years to come. Today, forest-based industries provide nearly 3.5 million jobs across over 400 thousand companies. Predictions are positive that these sectors will profit from the changes and will lead to economic growth as well as growth in jobs.

The European Trade Union Federations EFBWW, EFFAT and industriAll Europe welcome the European Commission's New European Forest Strategy for 2030. However, we would like to insist on the importance of employment and the contributions of the industries in our sectors to be placed at the centre of the Strategy.

This is why the European Trade Union Federations EFBWW, EFFAT and industriAll Europe are asking to integrate these demands into the implementation of the New EU Forest Strategy for 2030

• ·         The role and success of forest-based value chains, including their impact on employment in rural and semi-urban areas, should be considered strategic to achieve the objectives of the Green Deal
• ·         There is a need to better understand and reward the full climate benefits of forests and forest-based products, including the substitution of fossil fuel products and energy
• ·         Social dialogue should be used as a tool to develop and implement the objectives of the Strategy
• ·         Without modern framework training, the goals of the Strategy will not be achieved
• ·         A task force to combat forest fires should be set up in the EU
• ·         An impact assessment is now urgently needed
• Read full position here