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12.2.2007

FRENCH-FINNISH FORESTRY CO-OPERATION

JOINT COMMISSION MEETING

Place: La Bastide des Jourdans, Provence
Time: 22 September 2006
Participants:
FRANCE
Administration Alain Moulinier, Alain Chaudron, Caroline Merle
State forests André Labarrière
Municipal forests Pier Carlo Zingari
Private forests M. Daniel Quilici
Forest research Jean-Marc Guehl, Bernard Abrial, Daniel Guinard
Forest development Clotilde Giry, Olivier Picard
Forest industry Paul-Antoine Lacour
Education Christian Salvignol

FINLAND
Administration Aarne Reunala, Anna Laikari, Kimmo Närhinen
State forests Mika Aho, Jussi Kumpula
Private forests Timo Nyrhinen,
Forest research Hannu Raitio
Forest development Pirjetta Laine
Education Jouni Suoheimo,

Programme:
The members of delegations had bilateral stakeholder meetings before arriving to
Province or after arrival to Lourmarin 21 September. The next morning 22
September delegations met at the Forestry School La Bastide des Jourdans, where
the joint commission meeting was held. During the lunch break a somptuous French
lunch was offered and Christian Salvignol presented the buildings and activities of
the School. In the evening an impressive Gala dinner was arranged at the Moulin de
Lourmarin with the presence of the Mayor of La Bastide des Jourdans. Saturday 23
September an interesting field excursion was arranged to the Luberon Regional
Nature Park, its Cedre forest and biological reserves. After the Castle of Buoux the
tour continued to Sivergue, where a traditional rustic lunch at La Castellas ended the
excursion.

JOINT COMMISSION MEETING 22 September 2006

1. Opening remarks

Alain Moulinier opened the meeting, welcomed the Finnish and French delegations
and thanked Christian Salvignol for excellent arrangements.

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Alain Chaudron presented the agenda of the bilateral meeting.

Alain Moulinier presented actualities in French forest policy, including France's
National Forest Programme approved in 2006, the need to increase annual timber
harvesting, the importance of EU's Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 and
Forest Action Plan, public timber procurement policy in France and the role of
forests in carbon sequestration.

Aarne Reunala summarised the cooperation since 2004 saying that Director
Generals of ministries had met several times in international conferences and other
occasions, and that other members of delegations will report about their cooperation.
Concerning Finland's forest policy, he described the updating process of Finland's
National Forest Programme. The Forest Council will approve the Forest Sector
Future Review next week, and after general elections in March 2007 the new
Government should approve the updated National Forest Programme 2015 in
November 2007.

2. Bilateral cooperation

State forests

Mika Aho gave information about the recently established European organisation of
State forests EUSTAFOR, which has just opened an office in Brussels. Both Finland
and France had an important role in the foundation of EUSTAFOR. Besides
exchange of information, important issues are promotion of wood production,
Natura 2000, bio-energy, research and Kyoto Protocol.

André Labarrière told that Metsähallitus and Office National des Forets have a co-
operation agreement since 2001 and they have had useful exchange of experts and
knowledge. 2005 co-operation themes were wood marketing and wood energy, in
2006 consequences of storms and their ecological and economic effects.

Municipal forests

Pier Carlo Zingari presented the activities of the European Federation of Forest
municipalities founded in 1990. There are 20 million hectares of municipal forests,
89 000 forest municipalities and 112 000 local authorities in Europe. The
organisation aims to bring forest close to people, to reduce carbon emissions, to
improve the quality of water and watersheds and to promote biodiversity. He invited
Finnish organisations for a meeting in Rome in October. A session in Finland is
scheduled in 2008.

Private forests

Daniel Quilici, on behalf of French forest owner organisation's chairman Mr.
Plauche-Guillon, described the similarity of private forestry structure in both
countries and stressed the importance of biodiversity, forest certification, energy
wood and carbon sequestration. EU should remain neutral in forest certification.
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Timo Nyrhinen agreed with Mr. Quilici and gave an account of the innovative
Forest Biodiversity Programme for Southern Finland METSO, where voluntary
methods and respect of private ownership have given good results.

Forest development

Clotilde Giry described how Institut pour le développement forestier IDF and
Forestry Development Centre Tapio had since last Joint Commission organised
expert visits in 2005 and 2006, and that they are cooperating in drafting common
tenders for EU projects in the fields of energy wood, private forest ownership
structure, multifunctional use of forests, forest monitoring and prospective tools.
Other important issues for both are extension services to new forest owners, Natura
2000, new market trends and creation of a R&D group within CEPF.

Forest industry

Paul-Antoine Lacour explained that forest industries in Finland and in France share
a common vision, not the least because all major Finnish forest industry companies
are present also in France. It is important that state subsidies do not distort the
competition between industrial and energy wood. Forest industry supports all
credible forest certification schemes. The development of transportation network,
roads and rail, is important. Industry supports strongly the Forest-Based Sector
Technology Platform in order to develop research and innovation of new wood-
based products. Wood industry targets have been defined in "Roadmap 2010" with
active French and Finnish support.

Education, Framework Convention

Christian Salvignol told that since 2004 there has been exchange of trainees between
Forestry Schools in Finland and France. First International Forestry Training Centre
Conference was held in 2005 in La Bastide des Jourdans with 25 participating
countries, including Finland. The next Conference will be in 2008 in Switzerland. A
EU Leonardo programme proposal on Occupational Safety and Health and Forestry
Training is under preparation. An international forestry training website Eduforest
has been created to promote cooperation.

A Framework Convention between French and Finnish forestry training centres and
forestry entrepreneurs associations was signed at the meeting, in order to promote
common EU funded projects, to improve professional education enhance the
exchange of trainees.

It was agreed that French and Finnish Associations of Forestry Contractors should
be invited to the next Joint Commission meeting.

Forest Research

Directors of Finnish Forest Research Institute Metla, French National Institute for
Agricultural Research INRA and Agricultural and environmental engineering
research institute Cemagref have met several times. Hannu Raitio described the
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numerous contacts that Metla has had with French research institutions, giving forest
inventory and monitoring as examples. Jean-Marc Guehl described the activities of
INRA's forest research. Bernard Abrial explained Cemagref's activities on forest
reproductive material, forest management and biodiversity. Daniel Guinard gave an
overview of long-standing cooperation between CTBA and VTT within Eurowood
network, on wood products and modern information technology.

Finland’s EU Presidency

Aarne Reunala presented the main forestry issues during the ongoing Finnish EU
presidency, which include Council conclusions of the EU Forest Action Plan,
Commission guidelines for state aid in forestry, climate change and carbon
sequestration, illegal logging and FLEGT preparation, and preparations for the
UNFF 7 meeting next year.

Forest-Based Sector Technology Platform

Daniel Guinard presented the Forest-Based Sector Technology Platform (FTP) and
its strategic research agenda, which aims at strengthening European forest sector
research and innovation. Both France and Finland have been active in its
preparation. The French national support group consists of 60 personalities.

Life+ and FAO/ECE/ILO network

Caroline Merle presented the idea of a European Forest Monitoring Centre to
support EU's Life+ program. A meeting in Paris 25-26.9 will examine the topic.

Alain Chaudron described the political forestry cooperation within European
Ministerial Conferences MCPFE and the technical cooperation carried out by
European Forestry Commission and the FAO/ECE Timber Committee. Christian
Salvignol described the activities of the FAO/ECE/ILO expert network to implement
sustainable forest management. Themes have covered cultural heritage, forest
operations and 1st European training centre conference. Safety in forest operations
and mobilising wood will be themes in 2007

Conclusions

Many issues of common interest were brought up in several presentations:
 competitiveness of the forest sector,
 research and development of new and innovative wood-based products
 promotion of wood-based products
 increasing importance of energy wood,
 impact of climate change on forests
 Natura 2000
 conservation of biodiversity with new innovative methods
 forest certification
 forest inventory and monitoring
 forestry training.
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Both parties were positively surprised how extensive and valuable the cooperation
had been between partners in the two countries. Continuing the cooperation on the
basis of so many common interests and issues was considered important.

The next Joint Commission meeting will be held in Finland in 2008.