The Environment Council met on 17 March and discussed among other topics the regulation on certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation. Minister Barbara Pompili (FR) opened the discussion highlighting the fight against deforestation as one of the French Presidency’s priorities and many of the Member States’ representatives were supportive of the proposal and the ambition.
The AGRI committee held a hearing on 16 March to consider the draft report on the New EU Forest Strategy. The rapporteur, Ulrike Müller (RE, DE), opened the session (17:07:00) highlighting the multifunctionality of forests and the need to empower foresters while recognising sustainable forestry is a dynamic concept.
The ENVI committee published the full list of amendments to rapporteur Eleonora Evi’s (Greens/EFA, IT) draft opinion: 111-335, 336-560, 561-791. The list includes several positive amendments on the replacement of heating systems but also some concerns regarding Art. 23 and the role of forest biomass.
The revision of the REDIII is proceeding in a fast-paced way both in ITRE and ENVI committees, with the first shadow meeting for discussing compromises on the file scheduled for the 21 March and 22 March.
