1 May 2015: The reports from two forest events held in March 2015 and covering Europe and the Mediterranean have been released, focusing on the role of forests in a green economy and the future of the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan.

The Fourth Mediterranean Forest Week (MFW), organized by Silva Mediterranea from 17-20 March 2015, in Barcelona Spain, shared experiences and expectations for sustainable forest value chains. The Week also considered financing for forest conservation, restoration and sustainable use, particularly in relation to climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.

The MFW high-level segment adopted the Declaration of Barcelona, which calls for the development of a strategy and priorities for action, improved forest monitoring and strengthened knowledge exchanges within the region, and enhanced stakeholder participation. The Declaration also recognizes the important role of regional organizations and processes, calling on the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Silva Mediterranea to continue its work, but notes that Mediterranean forests should be better reflected in international processes. Finally, the Declaration recognizes the importance of forest restoration, biodiversity, urban and per-urban forests, and efforts to combat desertification.

Also in March, the European Commission (EC) organized the EU FLEGT Week from 16-19 March 2015, in Brussels, Belgium. The Week evaluated implementation of the EU FLEGT Action Plan, which has evolved from a regional programme to a global initiative.

Main recommendations from the EU FLEGT Week focus on implementing the Action Plan, including through the issuance of licenses, the provision of support for countries seeking to enter into Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) and the simplification of processes. Participants also called for greater synergies between the Action Plan and other certification processes, as well as climate change agendas.

With regards to the market aspects of illegal timber, recommendations focus on strengthening the EU Timber Regulation, better aligning consumer markets, and increasing public and private investments in FLEGT. The FLEGT Action Plan is supported by technical assistance from the FAO through the EU/FAO FLEGT Programme. [Publication: Summary and Main Outcomes of the IV Mediterranean Forest Week] [Declaration of Barcelona] [Silva Mediterranea Website] [Publication: Outcomes of FLEGT Week 2015 – Closing plenary] [FLEGT Week 2015 Website] [EU/FAO FLEGT Programme Website]