Slutsatser

The main observations from the workshop are as follows:

• Several areas of uses and users of forest information at EU level derive directly from existing legislation (e.g., the LULUCF regulations and the Habitats Directive).
• Information should be tailored for specific users and areas of uses. A main objective would be to guide EU-level policy implementation and development, but EU level forest information could also serve other stakeholders and actor needs.
• New EU legislation and several EU strategies could benefit from a common core set of indicators. Further analysis is needed to specify these indicators and their Coordination with Forest Europe, FAO/FRA, ENFIN and ICP Forests, as well as Eurostat, EEA, CBD, and UNFCCC would secure consistency with existing definitions and other established, international processes.
• Coherent information between EU and Member State levels is important to avoid confusion, when information on the same features originate from different sources.
• A stepwise approach could be recommended for building a forest information system for the EU, where the vast amounts of data and information available from existing national and multilateral programmes would be the foundation. Cost-efficiency is important to take into account, as well as financing.
• Increased harmonisation of results from existing inventories could be needed. Efforts to standardise core parts of forest inventories between Member States could possibly be considered in the long-term perspective.
• Building trust is imperative - through openness, transparency and data availability for research. Strict procedures for quality assurance and quality control should be adopted in all parts of a future EU forest information system, e.g. through local level validation.

Presidency Summary of the Workshop.pdf