Report from the online meeting of the expert group on November 13th.

Wednesday, November 19 , 2025 34

At the regular online meeting of the expert group Forest and forestry stakeholder platform DG ENV and DG AGRI informed about a couple of actual topics.

• The Forest Strategy is being evaluated now. On December 19^th there will be the kick-off meeting in Brussels to introduce the review. DG ENV has ordered a study about the national actions.
• DG ENV created Nature credits roadmap and got more than 200 stakeholder statements. There is a need of private financial support to finance the EU Biodiversity strategy.
  The next steps are:
  • EU-wide assessment of nature credit supply and demand;
  • Involve expert group to advice on fostering nature credit markets;
  • Engage internationality including preparations for CBD COP 17;
  • Launch a private funding program, linked to innovation and competitiveness;
  • Adopt first CRCF carbon farming methods with biodiversity co-benefits;
  • Consult expert group on criteria and methodologies for nature credit.
• Proposal for a new MFF/CAP
  Short information about the plan for the development of the new GAP. There will be a toolbox for financing different projects. The payment will change from taking the costs to giving incentives. The LRL is no objective for future financing but many actions within Natura 2000 will be part of the new GAP and are also counting on Nature Restoration Low.
• EUDR
  Short Report about the new proposal from EC, discussion with stakeholders about details. The changes are helpful for the producers, but not really for traders and Operators. There is no solution found yet, and the greater operators have to start at the end of 2025.
• The zero risk category would be a new category which would create a new benchmark and diplomatic challenges, so that not part of the proposal
• New European framework for climate resilience
  EC is planning to build an integrated framework for European climate resilience. It will work with other EU flagship initiatives
• CRCF regulation forest methodologies 
  EU COM is preparing the delegated act for all four issues, that have been developed yet (afforestation and other), certification can start from middle 2026 on. The development of the methodologies for improved forest management will start afterwards with methodologies and put in a delegated act as well.
• Short presentations about a HORIZON 2020 project FORbEST an about a European wide survey about Forest owner responses to EU forest biodiversity and climate resilience policy

UEF Presidency