MEPs want more funding for forests

Forestry projects need a bigger role under Horizon 2020 to ensure sustainable management of the environment, the European Parliament has said.

At a plenary session in Strasbourg on 28 April, MEPs gave their support to an EU forest strategy, a non-legislative resolution aimed at managing European forests sustainably. The strategy was passed with 566 votes in favour, 66 against, and 45 abstentions.

Under the strategy, the Parliament wants the European Commission and EU member states to increase R&D spending on timber processing, the adaptation of forests to climate change, and the study of pests and diseases. MEPs suggest that this additional funding could come from Horizon 2020 and the enterprise fund Cosme, and also suggest the development of new financing tools specifically for forestry R&D.