On March 11th 2005 the European Commission presented the final version of the Communication on reporting of the implementation of the EU Forestry Strategy. Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for agriculture an rural development, will present this Communication on Monday March 14th 2005 for discussion to the Council and at the same time announce the elaboration of an action plan within one year. It was a long way to come and European Family Forest Owners (CEPF) are very pleased, that the time of intensive cooperation with the relevant Commission services, in particular DG Agriculture, has come to an successful end. The CEPF currently holds the chairmanship in the Advisory Group on Forestry and Cork and used this mechanism, but also the public Internet consultation to provide its input.
The CEPF as umbrella federation of currently 23 national family forest owners associations in Europe welcomes the conclusion of the Commission that "forests and forestry can contribute to the Lisbon objectives and to the Gothenburg objectives". In the same tenor with the Commission Communication CEPF Secretary General Natalie Hufnagl raises concerns on the profitability of European Forestry: "Long-term sustainable action requires above all economic stability and perspective, so that the approximately 16 Million Family Forest Owners in Europe are also in the future in a position to fulfil their social and ecological responsibility". CEPF welcomes that the required need for better coordination of forestry relevant policies is taken into due account in the Communication.
European Family Forestry is with great hopes awaiting the elaboration of the action plan expecting that it will strengthen the European model of multifunctional forestry.