Following the invitation from Confemadera, the Spanish woodworking
federation, representatives from wood promotion organisations and industry
associations from 14 European countries met in Valencia on 7th and 8th June,
under the chairmanship of Mr Jan Söderlind (Nordic Timber Council) and Mr Cees
de Bruin (Centrum Hout).
On 7th June participants exchanged experiences and discussed best practices
in European wood promotion. Activities in the new EU member countries have
developed very positively, especially in Poland, where a wood promotion
foundation has been established, partly thanks to the support of several
European wood councils.
In addition, Confemadera informed on the Roadmap 2010 “Living with Wood”
process and invited the promotion organisations to contribute with their
expertise to the actions that will be developed in the next months.
The press conference attracted many journalists and was attended by
authorities from the government of Valencia, who stated their full support to
the woodworking industry and to the CEI-Bois Roadmap. The CEI-Bois
promotion working group met on 8th June. Participants were updated on the
communication activities carried out in the last year on EU level mainly aiming
at raising awareness and the image of wood and wood products among EU
decision-makers.
Presentations on the different Roadmap processes were given and participants
exchanged views regarding the proposed actions, particularly concerning
promotion. In this context, a working group was established to organise an
exhibition of wood products at the European Parliament next autumn within the
framework of the “Wood in Sustainable Development” process.
Finally, the group adopted a new name, “European Wood Network”, and a new
logo better meeting the scope this network’s activities, although the main
actors are still mainly wood promotion organisations.
The countries present at the meeting were Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden,
Switzerland and the UK. Representatives from FEBO, European Timber Trade
Federation, and EPF, European Panel Federation, took part in the meetings as
well.
On 6th June participants had the opportunity of visiting the furniture
company Muebles Picó and AIDIMA, the leading wood, furniture and packaging
technology institute in Spain.
The next meeting will take place in Warsaw in June 2006, on the invitation of
“Wood Now”, the Polish wood promotion foundation.
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