PLANNING MEETING 1999
Pentti Hyttinen, 21 June 1999
MINUTES
Place: Carelicum Building, Joensuu, Finland
University of Joensuu, room M7, Joensuu, Finland
Time: 14 June 1999 at 9:00 – 12:00
16 June 1999 at 17:30 – 19:00
Part I:
Present were: Peter Glück (Austria, originator
of the Action proposal), Andreas Ottitsch (Austria), Gerhard Mannsberger
(Austria), Heiner Schanz (Germany), Alexandra Vakrou (Greece),
Willi Zimmermann (Switzerland), and Pentti Hyttinen from the European
Commission COST Secretariat.
Pentti Hyttinen explained that the aim of the
meeting was to plan as far as possible the method, structure and
management of the Action so that this can be presented at the
1st MC meeting. He emphasised that the meeting is a
preparatory one and no decisions on the Action implementation
nor management can be made now but the outcome of this meeting
is just a proposal for the MC meeting. It has proven to be beneficial
for the start of an action to have a preparatory meeting before
the official start. Hyttinen also gave an introduction to the
COST mechanism and told about the current news regarding the COST
Forests and Forestry Products.
Peter Glück, Action E19 originator, gave
a presentation on the political framework and the scientific background
of national forest programmes. He also presented the contents
of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
In general, the MoU was seen still very actual
– in fact, the importance of the topic has been growing all the
time during the phases of preparation of the MoU and its approval.
Some streamlining was seen necessary to improve
the MoU. It was seen too broad in some aspects and the milestones
to be achieved were not stated clearly enough.
Close co-operation between researchers and policy-makers
was emphasised. Information change should be guaranteed between
the COST E19 and, for example, the Ministerial Conference on the
Protection of European Forests as well as the EU Forestry Standing
Committee.
Some doubts were expressed about the participating
motivation of the countries that already have prepared their own
national forest programme. However, it was emphasised that NFP
is a process and the paper version on the programme is not the
end but rather the start of the process. Thus, the participation
of the experienced countries was seen very welcome and valuable.
It is expected that the number of participating
countries will be high. It was seen important to be emphasised
that the signatory countries should have ongoing national projects
on the subject to justify their participation.
Part II:
Present were: Peter Glück (Austria, originator
of the Action proposal), Peter Mayer (Austria), Andreas Ottitsch
(Austria), Karl Neterda (Czech Republic), Aigar Kallas (Estonia),
Aarne Reunala (Finland), Yves Birot (France; TC Sector Group Forestry,
chairman), Heiner Schanz (Germany), Alexandra Vakrou (Greece),
Lorenzo Venzi (Italy), Johan Barstad (Norway), Birger Solberg
(Norway), Americo Mendes (Portugal), Maxim Lobovikov (Russia),
Eduardo Rojas-Briales (Spain), David Humphreys (UK), and Pentti
Hyttinen from the COST Secretariat.
The findings of the EFI Forest Policy Forum held
15-17 June 1999 were discussed. In general, the meeting was seen
very successful and beneficial for the COST Action. It showed
the big interest towards NFPs and stressed the importance of NFPs.
Quite a lot of work is still needed to clarify the basic concepts
related to NFPs.
The kick-off meeting (the 1st Management
Committee meeting) of the Action is to be held in Brussels 18-19
October 1999. An informal dinner is to be arranged in the evening
of 18 October.
The agenda of the kick-off meeting will include,
besides the routine COST information,
- a briefing of the E19 background,
- the definition of the concept of NFP,
- decision on concrete and measurable objectives
and milestones of the action,
- a decision of the management of the action
(chair, vice-chair, working group chairs).
- decision on the administrative institute for
Short Term Scientific Missions
- decision on the arrangements of the first seminar
of the Action.
A planning group consisting of Peter Glück,
Aarne Reunala and Heiner Schanz was nominated to prepare the
above mentioned items for the kick-off meeting in co-operation
with Pentti Hyttinen.
