The Conferences

STRASBOURG 1990 – HELSINKI 1993 – LISBON 1998 – VIENNA 2003

THE MCPFE PROCESS: AN OVERVIEW

Strasbourg 1990

INITIATING CROSS-BORDER MECHANISMS FOR THE PROTECTION OF FORESTS

On the initiative of France and Finland, the First Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe was held in Strasbourg in 1990. The conference was attended by 30 European countries and the European Community as well as several intergovernmental observer organisations. Recognising the need for cross-border protection of forests in Europe, the participants agreed on six resolutions. These Strasbourg Resolutions focused particularly on technical and scientific co-operation in order to provide the necessary data for common measures concerning European forests.

The Strasbourg Resolutions initiated a broad co-operation throughout Europe. Moreover, the Strasbourg Conference was a major step to initiate the incorporation of scientific data into political action to protect Europe’s forests.

This First Ministerial Conference constitutes the beginning of an ongoing political process to initiate proposals and actions for the protection and sustainable management of forests in Europe. After the First Ministerial Conference, meetings among the participants and observers of the MCPFE were held regularly to put into action the six Strasbourg Resolutions.

Helsinki 1993

A COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN EUROPE

The intention and commitment to apply the Forest Principles and other decisions of the UNCED at regional and national levels led to the Second Ministerial Conference, which was held in Helsinki in June 1993 under the joint chairmanship of Finland and Portugal. In addition to 37 European countries and the European Community, several organisations from the private sector, the international forestry community and environmental NGOs participated at this conference.

The General Declaration and the four Helsinki Resolutions reflect Europe's approaches to global environmental issues, namely the promotion of sustainable forest management, the conservation of biological diversity, strategies regarding the consequences of possible climate change for the forest sector, and increasing co-operation with countries in transition to market economies.

Lisbon 1998

RECOGNISING THE MULTIPLE ROLES OF FORESTS

At the Third Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe, held in Lisbon in June 1998, socio-economic aspects of sustainable forest management were given considerable emphasis. In this context, the conference particularly focused on the relationship and interaction between forest and society. Additionally, important outcomes of the Helsinki follow-up were confirmed. Under the chairmanship of Portugal and Austria, 36 countries and the European Community signed the two Lisbon Resolutions.

Furthermore, a co-operation with the Ministerial Process "Environment for Europe" was established by endorsing the joint pan-European "Work Programme on the Conservation and Enhancement of Biological and Landscape Diversity in Forest Ecosystems 1997-2000"(Biodiversity Work Programme).

At the Lisbon Conference the ministers also decided to develop a work programme in order to put into action their commitments made up to now. This MCPFE Work Programme was adopted in October 1999. It includes more than 40 actions addressing common pan-European issues. These actions range from forest biodiversity and climate change to rural development and the specific needs of Central and Eastern European Countries. The MCPFE Work Programme also addresses important forest policy instruments including national forest programmes as well as criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management.

The Work Programme is not only implemented by MCPFE countries and the Liaison Unit, but also by a broad range of international organisations and institutions working in the field of forestry. This reflects the outstanding characteristic of the MCPFE, which is to enable and enhance effective co-operation with regard to forests and forestry.

Vienna 2003

EUROPEAN FORESTS – COMMON BENEFITS, SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the slogan "Living Forest Summit", ministers responsible for forests from 41 European countries and a representative of the European Community as well as representatives of 4 non-European countries and 24 international organisations gathered at the Fourth Ministerial Conference in April 2003 in Vienna under the joint chairmanship of Austria and Poland.

Forty European countries and the European Community signed the Vienna Declaration "European Forests – Common Benefits, Shared Responsibilities" and adopted five Vienna Resolutions. The Vienna Declaration highlights the multiple roles of forests in relation to rural livelihood and urban societies, addresses the significance of strong partnerships between the forest sector and other sectors and underlines the importance to tackle global challenges. The Vienna Resolutions focus on cross-sectoral co-operation and national forest programmes, economic viability of sustainable forest management, social and cultural aspects, forest biological diversity as well as forests and climate change. Furthermore, the ministers responsible for forests adopted a new framework for co-operation between the MCPFE and the ministerial process Environment for Europe/Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy, which was also adopted by the ministers for environment at the Fifth Ministerial Conference "Environment for Europe" (May 2003).

For the first time, a multi-stakeholder dialogue was initiated as an integral part of the Ministerial Conference. Five stakeholder groups (forest owners, forest industry, social non-governmental organisations (NGOs), environmental NGOs and the scientific community) held discussions with the European ministers, putting their points of view on the protection and sustainable management of forests across at the Conference. All participants recognised the need of efficient implementation of the MCPFE resolutions. Consequently, as a follow-up of the Vienna Conference, the MCPFE will establish a new Work Programme in order to put into action all commitments made at the Living Forest