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