Delegates from 45 countries met in Rome, Italy, from 20-24 October 2008, to discuss collaboration on sustainable forest management issues during the first European Forest Week (EFW), held in conjunction with the joint meeting of the Sixty-sixth session of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Timber Council and Thirty-fourth session of the FAO European Forestry Commission.

A variety of stakeholders shared perspectives and solutions to global challenges relating to forests and climate change, energy and water, covering aspects such as improving forest law enforcement and governance in the European neighborhood policy, the new forest policy of the Russian Federation, gender and forestry, the role of wood products in climate change mitigation, and adaptation of forest trees to climate change. At the conclusion of the European Forest Week, the joint meeting adopted its report and annexes reflecting the Chairs’ summaries of the discussions on the central themes. The meeting also adopted the Joint Timber Committee and European Forestry Commission Market Statement reflecting the outcome of the market discussions.
Concurrent to the events in Rome, over 100 EFW events were organized in 30 countries across Europe, including a one-day conference of the European Economic and Social Committee held in Brussels, Belgium. The European Forest Week was held in fulfillment of a Ministerial Statement adopted by the fifth Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe in Warsaw in November 2007, which declared 20-24 October 2008 the Pan-European Forest Week 2008.
Links to further information
IISDRS coverage of the meeting
European Forest Week Website