European Parliament rejects proposal for forest monitoring framework
The European Parliament has rejected the European Commission’s proposal to establish a monitoring framework for resilient European forests, with 370 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) voting in favour of rejection, 264 opposing it and nine abstaining, thereby closing its first reading. In a separate vote, the Parliament adopted its position on extending the tasks of the Standing Forest and Forestry Expert Group, by 327 votes to 256, with 58 abstentions. The expert group is intended to assist the Commission by providing expertise in the preparation and implementation of legislative proposals and other EU policy initiatives that are relevant to forests and forestry or that could have a significant impact on them. The Commission would be required to consult the expert group and provide feedback on how it has addressed or responded to the group’s advice. The expert group may also offer advice proactively.