A greener, stronger European Union - The Swedish Forest Industries Federation´s input to EU ´s next political programme

– There is no doubt that the EU needs to uphold its long-term ambitions moving forward, particularly on the climate. However, this needs to be complemented by further promotion of economic development and stability. Climate and competitiveness must go hand-in-hand if we are to achieve a truly sustainable and genuinely green transition, says Viveka Beckeman, Director General of The Swedish Forest Industries' Federation.

In 2024, several crucial EU decisions will influence the future political direction of co-operation throughout the bloc. This includes elections to the European Parliament, the appointment of a new EU Commission, and the adoption of the political program for the Union's next mandate period.

– Sweden’s forest industries have committed themselves to contributing to increased climate benefits, circularity, and biodiversity to 2040. The EU is incredibly important for us. As the Union shapes its course for the coming years, we, from the perspective of the Federation, aim to contribute our insights actively and constructively, says Beckeman.

The input from the Federation, now presented, encompasses several directional and policy proposals across four different thematic areas, outlining how EU policies in the coming years can enable a green and sustainable future.

– A new EU policy direction that promotes a competitive, climate-neutral, and circular bioeconomy, alongside sustainable forest management, would offer a unique opportunity for our collective future, says Beckeman.

The Federation's input is based on four main areas that should be prioritized moving forward:

Resilience and Competitiveness

It is crucial for the EU to be able to effectively manage an uncertain world and compete internationally. The EU should focus on securing access to raw materials and making Europe attractive for investment in the circular bioeconomy.  A supportive policy framework is needed and policies should: 

• Promote the European circular bioeconomy and make the EU an attractive destination for biobased investments   

• Reflect the essential role of wood as a strategic European resource and raw material 

• Promote biomaterials as a way to reduce the EU’s dependency on fossil raw materials in material and energy sectors 

Climate Neutrality

With the goal of the EU being climate-neutral by 2050, it is crucial to promote renewable materials and solutions, as well as investment in bio-CCS. Policies should:   

• Reflect the full climate benefit of sustainably managed forests and wood-based products by recognising carbon sink and substitution effects as equally important 

• Acknowledge the key contribution of renewable materials by setting a substitution goal for materials 

• Stimulate voluntary investment in BECCS and BECCU 

Circular and Bio-based Economy

To promote circularity, products should be designed with recycling in mind, while support is needed for increased reuse and improved collection and recycling.  Policies should:   

• Promote renewability, i.e., biobased content, in parallel with recycled content in product-related legislation 

• Acknowledge that renewable single use products (with high collection and recycling rates) and reuse are complementary  

• Ensure that more waste and industrial streams can be used as secondary raw materials 

Sustainable Forest Management

EU policy should recognize and support the importance of forestry for sustainable development, with specific methods to preserve biodiversity and forest productivity based on local conditions.

By harnessing the potential of forests and the bioeconomy, the EU will be able to strengthen its resilience and global competitiveness while achieving ambitious climate and environmental goals.  Policies should:  

• Acknowledge forests’ multifunctional role in meeting societal, economic, and environmental objectives 

• Recognise that there are no one-size-fits-all forestry policy measures; rather, a fair and proportionate balance acknowledging synergies and trade-offs over time is needed 

• Consider forest owners of all sizes as key stakeholders in the green transition