July 2015: During an Expert Level Meeting (ELM), delegates from FOREST EUROPE signatory countries and the EU formally approved a decision to be presented to the FOREST EUROPE Extraordinary Ministerial Conference in October 2015, which is expected to adopt the results of the work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for a Legally Binding Agreement (LBA) on Forests in Europe. At this ELM, held on 2 July 2015, in Madrid, Spain, delegates accepted the draft text for an LBA, which had been forwarded from a drafting meeting held on 23-24 March 2015.

The draft decision adopted at the ELM recognizes that the negotiating text resulting from a process launched at the 6th FOREST EUROPE Ministerial Conference in 2011 includes a commitment to explore ways to find common ground on the LBA by 2020, if not before. By setting this 2020 deadline, signatories are showing their commitment to a future agreement that could strengthen the implementation of a coherent forest policy in the pan-European region, as well as sustainable forest management (SFM). The decision is expected to be adopted by ministers at the Extraordinary Ministerial Conference, which will take place on 21 October 2015 in Madrid, and will be held in conjunction with the 7th FOREST EUROPE Ministerial Conference to be held from 19-23 October 2015.

During another ELM convened from 30 June to 2 July 2015, also in Madrid, delegates approved a number of draft documents and agreed to forward them to the forthcoming Ministerial Conference. These documents include: a declaration recognizing the need to address global challenges related to European forests; a resolution highlighting the potential of forests in transitioning to a green economy and their role as a source of employment; a resolution underlining the need to reinforce forest protection and SFM, and to strengthen cooperation at the pan-European level to address forest threats; and a decision on the future direction of FOREST EUROPE.

ELM participants were also briefed on preliminary findings of two reports that will be presented at the FOREST EUROPE Ministerial Conference: the FOREST EUROPE report ‘State of Europe’s Forests 2015,’ which analyzes the status and changes in forests and forest management in Europe; and a mid-term evaluation on progress made in achieving the goals and European 2020 targets for forests, which were agreed at the Oslo Ministerial Conference in 2011. [FOREST EUROPE news on ELM for Extraordinary Ministerial Conference] [FOREST EUROPE news on ELM for 7th Ministerial Conference] [ELM on Extraordinary Ministerial Conference Information] [ELM on 7th Ministerial Conference Information]