UNITED
NATIONS
 
E
Undisplayed Graphic
Undisplayed Graphic

 

 

Economic and Social
Council

 

 

Food and Agriculture
Organization

Distr.
GENERAL

FO: EFC/00/1

2 October 2000

Original: ENGLISH


ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE 

TIMBER COMMITTEE

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION

EUROPEAN FORESTRY COMMISSION

Fifty-eighth session
Thirtieth session
JOINT SESSION

FAO Headquarters, Rome
9-13 October 2000 

 

PROVISIONAL AGENDA

 

1. Adoption of the agenda

2. Arrangements for chairing the meeting

3. State of Forestry in the region

4. Special topics:

  1. Sustainable Forest Management Practices, the work of the Joint FAO/ECE/ILO Committee on Forest Technology, Management and Training;
  2. Consequences of storm damage by "Lothar".

5. Market developments in 2000 and prospects for 2001

6. In-session seminar: International dialogue on forests, support to the global and regional processes

7. Forest Resource Assessment

8. European Forestry Commission matters

  1. FAO forestry activities in the region - review of FAO Regular and Field programmes in Europe, including follow-up to requests and recommendations of the 29th session of EFC;
  2. AFWC/EFC/NEFC Committee on Mediterranean Forestry Questions - Silva Mediterranea;
  3. Regional issues identified by the Commission for the attention of the Committee on Forestry;
  4. Election of officers;
  5. Date and place of next session.

9. Timber Committee matters

  1. Matters arising from the fifty-fifth session of the Economic Commission for Europe;
  2. Activities of Principal Subsidiary Bodies of ECE of interest to the Timber Committee;
  3. Election of officers;
  4. Date and place of next session.

10. Review of activities in 1999/2000 and integrated programme of work for 2001-2005

11. Forestry and the Kyoto protocol: key issues

12. International Year of Mountains, including the activities of the Working Party on the Management of Mountain Watersheds

13. Other business

14. Adoption of the joint session report

TENTATIVE TIMETABLE

  Agenda item Morning session Agenda item Afternoon session
Monday,
9 October
1.

2.



3.
Adoption of the agenda
Arrangements for chairing the meeting
State of Forestry in the region
4. Special topics
a. Sustainable Forest Management Practices, the work of the Joint Committee
b. Consequences of storm damage by "Lothar"
Monday,
9 October
Lunch time Side-event
Meeting of the Ministerial Conference for the Protection of Forests in Europe
Tuesday,
10 October
5. Market discussion 5. (cont.) Market discussion
Wednesday,
11 October
6. In-session seminar International dialogue on forests 7. Special topic
Forest Resource Assessment
Thursday,
12 October
09.00 hrs Drafting Committee
Market statement
 
Thursday,
12 October
8.







9.
EFC matters
a. FAO forestry activities in the region
b. Silva Mediterranea
TC matters
a. Matters arising
b. Activities of PSBs
10. Review of activities in 1999/2000 and integrated programme of work for 2001-2005
Thursday,
12 October
Lunch time Side-event
Demonstration of websites:
- FAO Forestry Department
- ECE/FAO Forest Resource Assessment
Friday,
13 October
11.


12.




8.(cont.)



9. (cont.)
Forestry and the Kyoto protocol
International Year of Mountains; activities of the WP on Mountain Watersheds
EFC matters
d. Election of officers
e. Date and place of next session
TC matters
Election of officers
Date and place of next session
13.


8. (cont.)



14.
Other business


EFC matters

issues for the attention of COFO

Adoption of the joint session report

EXPLANATORY NOTES

Item 1. Adoption of the agenda (ECE/TIM/94; FO:EFC/00/1)

In accordance with both bodies internal Rules of Procedure, the adoption of the agenda is the first item of the agenda.

Item 2. Arrangements for chairing the meeting

The joint meeting of the bureaux of the Committee and Commission, proposed that the Chairmen of the two bodies be co-Chairmen of the joint session.

Item 3. State of Forestry in the region (FO:EFC/00/2)

The discussions under this item is based on a summary of the replies of countries members of the Commission on major changes occurred in their national forestry situation since the last session of the Commission. This information will enable the Commission to analyse issues of particular relevance to the region. For this reason the format of the reports is similar to the outline used for other Regional Forestry Commissions.

Item 4. Special topics (TIM/2000/1; FO:EFC/00/3)

The bureaux of the Committee and the Commission agreed that the special topics be:

  1. Sustainable Forest Management Practices, the work of the Joint FAO/ECE/ILO Committee on Forest Technology, Management and Training;
  2. Consequences of storm damage by "Lothar".

Item 5. Market developments in 2000 and prospects for 2001 (TIM/2000/2 ECE/TIM/BULL/53/3)

Delegations will be invited to review developments in 2000 and prospects for 2001 on the basis of the Annual Forest Products Market Review (Timber Bulletin, ECE/TIM/BULL/53/3), countries' written statements and forecasts. An agreed statement synthesizing the discussions and forecasts will be prepared during the session and later published. A note by the secretariat will provide further information for the market discussion.

Market discussions

The market discussion will be organized along the following lines:

  1. General introduction;
  2. Roundwood;
  3. Softwoods (sawnwood and logs);
  4. Hardwoods (sawnwood and logs), temperate and tropical zones;
  5. Wood-based panels: particle board, plywood and fibreboard;
  6. Certified forest products.

Item 6. In-session seminar: International dialogue on forests, support to the global and regional processes(TIM/2000/3; FO:EFC/00/4)

The Committee will be invited to consider how it should contribute to the follow-up to the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF), and the follow-up to the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe, on the basis of a secretariat note.

Item 7. Forest Resource Assessment (TIM/2000/4; FO:EFC/00/5)

The bureaux of the Committee and the Commission agreed that the third special topics of the joint session be:

Item 8. European Forestry Commission matters

  1. FAO forestry activities in the region - review of FAO Regular and Field programmes in Europe, including follow-up to requests and recommendations of the twenty-ninth session of EFC (FO:EFC/00/6)

    A secretariat note will inform the Commission about FAO forestry activities of interest to the region, funded under the Regular Programme budget and FAO-executed projects funded through UNDP and donor trust funds.

  2. AFWC/EFC/NEFC Committee on Mediterranean Forestry Questions - Silva Mediterranea (FO:EFC/00/7)

    A secretariat note will inform the Commission of the activities of Silva Mediterranea.

  3. Regional issues identified by the Commission for the attention of the Committee of Forestry (FO:EFC/00/8)

    The Commission will be invited to agree on conclusions and recommendations to be brought to the attention of the Committee of Forestry.

  4. Election of officers

    In accordance with its rules of procedures (Rule II.1) the Commission is expected to elect officers who will hold office until the end of the thirty-first session. At the end of the twenty-ninth session, Mr. P. Csoka (Hungary) was elected Chairman and Messrs J.M. Solano (Spain), and Ozols (Latvia) were elected Vice-Chairmen.

  5. Date and place of next session

    In accordance with its rules (IV.1 and 2) the Commission shall hold sessions at such periodic intervals as shall be requested by a majority of the members of the Commission or considered necessary by the Director-General of the Organization, but in principle every second year. The place shall be determined by the Director-General
    of the Organization after consultation with the Chairman and the competent authorities of the host country. Member countries of the Commission may wish to consider hosting the next session.

Item 9. Timber Committee matters

  1. Matters arising from the fifty-fifth session of the Economic Commission for Europe (TIM/2000/5)

    The Committee will be informed about the decisions adopted by the Commission at its fifty-fifth session, held in May 2000, which have a bearing on the work of the Committee. The Committee will be invited to take these decisions into account when adopting its programme of work under provisional agenda item 10.

  2. Activities of Principal Subsidiary Bodies of ECE of interest to the Timber Committee (TIM/2000/6)

    The above document will provide information, notably on the activities of other ECE Principal Subsidiary Bodies. Representatives of the international organizations are invited to provide 120 copies of brief written statements on their activities in English, French or Russian for distribution to delegations.

  3. Election of officers

    In accordance with its Rules of Procedure and established practice, the Committee is expected to elect a Chairman and two Vice-Chairmen, who will hold office until the end of the fifty-ninth session. At the fifty-seventh session the Committee reelected Ms. A. Bergquist (Sweden) Chairman and Messrs. N. A. Burdin (Russian Federation) and J. Serveau (Canada) Vice-Chairmen to hold office until the end of the fifty-eighth session.

  4. Date and place of next session

    The Committee is expected to agree on the date of its fifty-ninth session to be held in Geneva.

    Provided that conference services are available, the week of 2-5 October 2001 has been provisionally reserved.

Item 10. Review of activities in 1999/2000 and integrated programme of work for 2001-2005 (TIM/2000/7; FO:EFC/00/9)

The joint session will be invited to review its activities and adopt its integrated programme of work, on the basis of a summary document which will draw decision items to the attention of the Committee and the Commission and present a draft programme of work.

Item 11. Forestry and the Kyoto protocol: key issues (FO:EFC/00/10)

A secretariat note will inform the joint session on this agenda item.

Item 12. International Year of Mountains, including the activities of the Working Party on the Management of Mountain Watersheds (FO:EFC/00/11)

A secretariat note will inform the joint session on this agenda item.

Item 13. Other business

At the time of writing, the secretariat had no points to propose under this item.

Item 14. Adoption of the joint session report

The joint session will be invited to adopt its report on the basis of a draft prepared by the secretariat. It will also be invited to approve formally the market statement based on the discussions under item 5, and approved by the drafting Committee on Thursday morning.