Forests across the European Union are diverse, and Member States have different starting points and objectives for forest use. For this reason, the EU does not have a common forest policy.
Nevertheless, forests are significantly affected by a wide range of EU policies. Objectives and regulatory requirements related to forests are set in areas such as nature conservation, climate policy, energy policy and industrial policy. Together, these frameworks have a substantial impact on forest use and on the operating environment of the forest-based industries across Europe.
From the perspective of the forest industry, it is essential that EU-level decision-making recognises the multifunctional role of forests and supports the availability of sustainably sourced, renewable wood raw material as part of Europe’s green transition and competitive industrial development.
This page provides an overview of key EU legislation affecting forests, as well as ongoing and forthcoming regulatory initiatives and other topical EU-level issues related to forests.
