The European Confederation of Woodworking Industries, CEI-Bois, is pleased to invite you to the official presentation of the Memorandum of the Woodworking Industries to the European Institutions, which will be held at the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday, 2nd February 2005, followed by a cocktail.

The European woodworking industry provides jobs to nearly three million people in the European Union. The rapid development of some new industries may have blinded the fact that our industry still has a key role in many of the member states and contributes especially to the economy in rural areas where the other industries are not active.
A vast majority of the products produced by the European woodworking sector find their way into the construction sector, both for structural and non-structural applications, as well as more decorative purposes, such as e.g. furniture. In this respect, it strongly contributes to the building segment that, on average, represents 12 to 14% of the GDP of the EU Member States. Many of CEI-Bois’ activities therefore can be catalogued under “Building with wood” or “Living with wood”.
Our raw material – wood – is a sustainable and renewable natural resource. The European
forests are growing more than they are cut and therefore there is a potential to expand the
industry inside the European Union. By using more wood-based products the EU can decrease the use of other, less environmentally friendly materials. However, there is at the moment a serious concern about the economic viability of the woodworking companies and their competitiveness. We see more and more investments done outside the EU area taking away the well-needed jobs and income.
In this context, the sector has, under the umbrella of CEI-Bois, embarked on a first ever strategic project, branded “Roadmap 2010” aiming at increasing the use of wood products in Europe in order to secure the future of the industry. The transposition of this project is a clear sign for the strong commitment of the sector to its operations and to its raw material base. By using wood, woodworking companies strongly contribute to sustainable development.
As most of the current legislation impacting on companies origins ‘in Brussels’ or has a European angle, CEI-Bois would like to seize the opportunity of the installation of a new European Commission to voice some of its concerns over such legislative acts and other issues where we feel the European institutions could be of assistance. Indeed, CEI-Bois is convinced that Europe will strongly need the “traditional” industry sectors and a sound manufacturing base in order to achieve its goal, as set in the Lisbon agenda, of becoming the world’s most competitive region.
We look forward to meeting you on this occasion and to a future cooperation.

Bo Borgström
CEI-Bois Chairman