Summary: July 20, 2005: EU PRESIDENCY STATEMENT on Item 13-UN Forum on Forests at the General Segment of the July 2005 Substantive Session of the Economic and Social Council, by The Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom to the United Nations, on behalf of the European Union (New York)
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the member states of the European Union. The Acceding Countries Bulgaria and Romania, the Candidate Countries Turkey and Croatia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, [and the EFTA countries Iceland and Norway, members of the European Economic Area] as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, align
themselves with this declaration.
Mr President,
The European Union was deeply disappointed that the United Nations Forum on Forests failed to agree a text on the future International Arrangement on Forests at its fifth session in May. It was also disappointing not to be able to agree a Ministerial Statement during the High Level Segment of UNFF5. As a result, the positive statements made by Ministers throughout the High Level Segment, underlying the global importance of forests and the substantive contribution they make to achieving the
Millennium Development Goals, were not effectively captured. We believe that this outcome has prevented UNFF from conveying a clear and convincing message on the importance of sustainable forest management to the forthcoming Millennium Review Summit. In failing to ensure this message is heard, the UNFF risks relegating the global forest dialogue to the fringes of international policy discussions.
Significant changes to the current International Arrangement on Forests are necessary to reverse the current trends of deforestation and forest degradation worldwide. Within the EU, there is a real will for progress, and we came to UNFF5 hoping for a collaborative dialogue that would lead to a step-change in the effectiveness of the future International Arrangement on Forests. We very much regret that there was insufficient opportunity to engage seriously in negotiations that could have allowed
the international community to make significant progress in strengthening the current arrangement. Throughout the session, the European Union clearly stated its support for a legally binding or equivalent instrument and the establishment of clear goals and targets.
Mr President,
The EU continues to attach great importance to forest issues and maintains its strong commitment to sustainable forest management. Building on the achievements of UNFF5, we will be working towards consensus and tangible results for a strengthened and improved International Arrangement on Forests when these issues are taken up again at UNFF6 in February 2006.
Thank you.
* Croatia continues to be part of the Stabilisation and Association
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