GCM, Annecy – France Activity Report Piotr Grygier Vice President Multifunctional forest management and society matters

GCM, Annecy – France As a v-ce President of UEF I have concentrated on the MCPFE (FOREST EUROPE) process. The FOREST EUROPE signatory countries and participants focus on elaborating strategies and solutions that meet new challenges such as climate change, bio-energy production and water protection. 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, as well as non- European countries.

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GCM, Annecy – France Purpose and scope In the context of considerations on the future direction of the MCPFE process the Working Group will carry out technical work in preparation for the upcoming 6th Ministerial Conference, with regard to the issue of a possible legally binding agreement on forests in the pan-European region, as one of the possible option. 2. Tasks and expected output: Clarify the issues Develop a comprehensive document (non paper) Present the findings, in particular the comprehensive document on elements of a possible LBA, in due time prior to the 6th Ministerial Conference.

GCM, Annecy – France The main purpose of the non-paper will be to provide countries and organisations with a basis for impact analyses and consultations on issues related to a possible legal agreement on forests, in order to provide for well informed decisions at the Oslo Ministerial Conference in June 2011.

GCM, Annecy – France II. Objective. Note: This is not an exhaustive list of objectives as the objectives may vary dependent on the type of legal agreement chosen. The overall objective of this Agreement is: 1. to secure the long term provision of the economic, environmental, social and cultural functions of forests through sustainable forest management and enhanced cooperation in Europe (suitable for a legal agreement on forests), 2. to ensure that Europe’s forests will contribute significantly to the broader goals of sustainable development, notably in the fields of renewable energy, climate change, biodiversity and rural development (suitable for a legal agreement on forests), 3. to enhance cooperation in Europe in order to foster cross-sectoral cooperation on sustainable forest management to improve coherence of forest related policies (suitable for a legal agreement on forests, and also for an agreement that only establishes a legal personality for the FOREST EUROPE/ the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe).

GCM, Annecy – France

GCM, Annecy – France Information on progress of the working group on preparing options for a decision on a possible legally binding agreement on forests in Europe The first meeting of the working group, which was held in Geneva on February 2010, discussed a first draft of a non-paper prepared by the Co- Chairs. This nonpaper will set out options for a legally binding agreement, and include objectives, commitments, institutional arrangements, negotiation process and options on how an instrument could take advantage of already existing FOREST EUROPE commitments and arrangements. The draft non-paper is designed as a multi- option document and it will not constitute a negotiation document. The non-paper will serve as a basis for deliberations at the second meeting of the working group, scheduled for 1-2 July in St. Petersburg, hosted by the Russian Federation. The third and final meeting is tentatively scheduled for October this year. In the following discussion, several participants stressed that countries would need time for national consultation on a possible legally binding agreement before any political decision could be taken. It was also called for a proper process to merge the issue of a legally binding agreement with other issues prepared for the conference. It was agreed to take these concerns into consideration when agreeing on a road-map towards the ministerial conference.

GCM, Annecy – France Future political commitments on forests in Europe, preparations for the Sixth Ministerial Conference – June 2011 – OSLO, Norway The discussion on this agenda item was based on the document “Future political commitments on forests in Europe: Preparations for the Sixth Ministerial Conference”, prepared by the GCC. The document included four parts; (A) Challenges and opportunities, (B) Vision, goals and targets for Europe’s forests and mission for FOREST EUROPE, (C) Forests and climate change, and (D) Framework for cooperation. The overall idea of the GCC was that the elements proposed in the document, with the results from the working group on a possible legally binding agreement as an integral part, could form a basis for developing a package to be presented for decision by the ministers at the upcoming ministerial conference. This package could be in the form of one decision document

GCM, Annecy – France Thank you very much for your attention!