Authors E. MÄKI-SIMOLA – K.PANAGOPOULOS The EU is the world number one producer of sawnwood, wood-based panels and paper and paperboard.
The European Union (EU-25) has a total area of forests and other wooded land of 160 million hectares, covering 42% of its land area. Among the many functions of forests, one of the most important is the raw material function: whilst offering a renewable source of wood and other products, forests have a great role in creating economic
welfare and employment. But besides their economic aspects, forests offer many other benefits which are highly valued but not easy to measure in monetary terms.
The enlargement of the Union in May 2004 increased the Community.s forest and other wooded land area by 20%, from 136 up to 160 million hectares. The volume of growing stock rose by one-third, to 17.9 billion cubic metres. This represents a remarkable expansion of the EU.s forestry sector, and has given the EU, among other things, a greater importance as a producer and trader of wood and wood-based products. The EU now produces about 20% of the world.s industrial roundwood, being the second biggest producer after the USA.
In 2003 the production of industrial roundwood of the EU-25 was 323.2 million m?, which was 14% higher than the average of the ten preceding years (1993.2002). This makes the EU the second biggest producer of industrial roundwood in the world, after the USA. Within the EU the main producers of industrial roundwood were Sweden (61.4 million m?), Finland (49.2 million m?), Germany (45.4 million m?) and France (33.9 million m?). The production from these four countries comprised 60% of the total EU-25 industrial roundwood. Since 1961 industrial roundwood production in the EU-25 Member States has increased by 85%. In the USA the corresponding growth was 63% and in Canada 121%. In 2003 the EU-25 produced 20% and the USA 26% of the total world industrial roundwood.
The sawnwood production of the EU-25 amounted to 97.5 million m? in 2003, which was 14% more than the average of the preceding ten-year period. The EU is now the world.s biggest sawnwood producer. The main producers of sawnwood in the EU-25 were Germany (17.6 million m?), Sweden (16.8 million m?), Finland (13.7 million m?), Austria (10.5 million m?) and France (9.6 million m?). The production of these five countries constitutes 70% of the EU.s sawnwood. Since 1961 sawnwood production has increased by 75% in the EU-25 Member States. In Canada production has quadrupled and in the USA
production has increased by half. In 2003, the EU produced 24% and the USA 22% of the world.s sawnwood.
In 2003, the production of paper and paperboard in the EU-25 amounted to 91.6 million metric tonnes, which was 16% higher than the average over the years 1993-2002. The main producers of paper and paperboard are Germany, Finland, Sweden, France and Italy. These countries were responsible for 69% of the EU.s total production. Since 1961 total paper and paperboard production has quadrupled in the EU-25 Member States. In the USA and Canada production has increased by 163% and 152% respectively. The EU-25 produced 28% and the USA 24% of the world.s total paper and paperboard in 2003.
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION . METHODOLOGICAL NOTES
Sources: The Joint ECE/EUROSTAT/FAO/ITTO forest sector questionnaire and FAO (FAOSTAT, Forestry data 1961.2003).
INDUSTRIAL ROUNDWOOD: The commodities included in Industrial roundwood are logs, pulpwood and other industrial roundwood. Logs are used for the production of sawnwood (including sleepers) and veneer sheets. Pulpwood is wood in the rough other than logs, for the manufacture of pulp, particleboard and fibreboard.
SAWNWOOD: Wood that has been produced either by sawing lengthways or by a profile-chipping process and that exceeds 6 mm in thickness. It includes planks, beams, joists, boards, rafters, scantlings, laths, boxboards and "lumber", etc., in the following forms: unplaned, planed, end-jointed, etc.
PAPER AND PAPERBOARD: The paper and paperboard category is an aggregate category. It represents the sum of graphic papers; sanitary and household papers; packaging materials and other paper and paperboard. It excludes manufactured paper products such as boxes, cartons, books and magazines, etc.