Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture

Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture No. 1/06


Forest policy challenges in the enlarged European Union

Konstantinos P. Soutsas
Technological Educational Institute of Larissa, Greece

Aristotelis C. Papageorgiou, Stilianos Tampakis, Garyfallos Arabatzis
Democritus University of Thrace, Orestiada, Greece and

Anastasios Papastavrou
Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, Greece


Abstract

The enlargement of the EU increases its forest area by almost one quarter. Most of the new member countries have a long tradition in forestry, especially on semi-natural forests, while nature conservation is highly appreciated. So far, the EU has not developed a common forest policy and forest management has been a subject of national policies of the member states. The production of forest products in the EU is mainly based on private forestry and is connected with market mechanisms. However, the increasing population pressure for non-timber goods and services leads to a reconsideration of the role of public forestry in the EU, especially after the inclusion of countries with a significant forest public sector. The enlargement of the EU has caused a new round of discussions on the creation of a forest policy at the EU level, which could focus more on the maintenance of goods and services deriving from European forests.

Keywords: forest policy, enlargement, European Union, challenges, European Forests

JEL: Q 190

Vol. 45 (2006), No. 1: 35-46