What changed

(Joint committee procedure – Rule 59 of the Rules of Procedure)

DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on a monitoring framework for resilient European forests

(COM(2023)0728 – C100425/2023C90425/2023 – 2023/0413(COD))

(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)

– having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2023)0728),

– having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 192(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C100425/2023),(C90425/2023),

– having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

– having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 20 March 2024,

– after consulting the Committee of the RegionsRegions,

– having regard to RulesRule 60 and 41 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the reportjoint deliberations of the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety and the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (A100000/2024),under Rule 59 of the Rules of Procedure,

1. Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out;

– having regard to the report of the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety and the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (A10-0176/2025),

2. Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal;

1. Rejects the Commission proposal;

2. Calls on the Commission to withdraw its proposal;

3. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.

Amendment 1

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

Proposal for a regulation

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteurs declare that they included in their report input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that they received, in the preparation of the draft report,prior to the adoption thereof in committee, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their dipomatic missions and embassies:

Recital 3

Or. en

Amendment 2

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 4

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Amendment 3

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 6

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Amendment 4

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 7

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Amendment 5

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 8

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Amendment 6

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 9

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Amendment 7

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 10

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Amendment 8

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 11

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Amendment 9

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 12

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Amendment 10

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 13

Or. en

Amendment 11

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 14

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Amendment 12

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 14 a (new)

Or. en

Amendment 13

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 15

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Amendment 14

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 16

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Amendment 15

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 16 a (new)

Or. en

Amendment 16

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 19

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Amendment 17

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 20

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Amendment 18

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 21

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Amendment 19

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 25

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Amendment 20

Proposal for a regulation

Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point a

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Amendment 21

Proposal for a regulation

Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)

Or. en

Amendment 22

Proposal for a regulation

Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point b

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Amendment 23

Proposal for a regulation

Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point c

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Amendment 24

Proposal for a regulation

Article 1 – paragraph 1 a (new)

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Amendment 25

Proposal for a regulation

Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point a

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Amendment 26

Proposal for a regulation

Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point a a (new)

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Amendment 27

Proposal for a regulation

Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point c

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Amendment 28

Proposal for a regulation

Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point e

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Amendment 29

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1

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Amendment 30

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1 a (new)

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Amendment 31

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2

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Amendment 32

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3

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Amendment 33

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4

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Amendment 34

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4 a (new)

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Amendment 35

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4 b (new)

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Amendment 36

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5

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Amendment 37

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6

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Amendment 38

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8

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Amendment 39

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 10

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Amendment 40

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – introductory part

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Amendment 41

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a

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Amendment 42

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b

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Amendment 43

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 1 a (new)

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Amendment 44

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2 – point b

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Amendment 45

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2 – point b a (new)

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Amendment 46

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 4

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Amendment 47

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 5

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Amendment 48

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 5 a (new)

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Amendment 49

Proposal for a regulation

Article 4 – title

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Amendment 50

Proposal for a regulation

Article 4 – paragraph 1

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Amendment 51

Proposal for a regulation

Article 4 – paragraph 2

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Amendment 52

Proposal for a regulation

Article 4 – paragraph 3

Or. en

Amendment 53

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – title

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Amendment 54

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 1

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Amendment 55

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 2 – introductory part

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Amendment 56

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point a

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Amendment 57

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point b

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Amendment 58

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)

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Amendment 59

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point c

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Amendment 60

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point d

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Amendment 61

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e

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Amendment 62

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point h

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Amendment 63

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 3 – introductory part

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Amendment 64

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point a

Or. en

Amendment 65

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point e

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Amendment 66

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point f

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Amendment 67

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point g

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Amendment 68

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point h

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Amendment 69

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point i

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Amendment 70

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point j

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Amendment 71

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point k

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Amendment 72

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point m

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Amendment 73

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point n

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Amendment 74

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point n a (new)

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Amendment 75

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point n b (new)

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Amendment 76

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point n c (new)

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Amendment 77

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point n d (new)

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Amendment 78

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point n e (new)

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Amendment 79

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point n f (new)

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Amendment 80

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point n g (new)

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Amendment 81

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 4

Or. en

Amendment 82

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 5

Or. en

Amendment 83

Proposal for a regulation

Article 6 – title

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Amendment 84

Proposal for a regulation

Article 6 – paragraph 1

Or. en

Amendment 85

Proposal for a regulation

Article 6 – paragraph 2 – introductory part

Or. en

Amendment 86

Proposal for a regulation

Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point a

Or. en

Amendment 87

Proposal for a regulation

Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point b

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Amendment 88

Proposal for a regulation

Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point c

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Amendment 89

Proposal for a regulation

Article 7 – paragraph 1

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Amendment 90

Proposal for a regulation

Article 7 – paragraph 1 a (new)

Or. en

Amendment 91

Proposal for a regulation

Article 7 – paragraph 2

Or. en

Amendment 92

Proposal for a regulation

Article 7 – paragraph 3 – introductory part

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Amendment 93

Proposal for a regulation

Article 7 – paragraph 3 – point a

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Amendment 94

Proposal for a regulation

Article 7 – paragraph 3 – point b

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Amendment 95

Proposal for a regulation

Article 7 – paragraph 3 – point c

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Amendment 96

Proposal for a regulation

Article 7 – paragraph 3 – point d

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Amendment 97

Proposal for a regulation

Article 7 – paragraph 3 a (new)

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Amendment 98

Proposal for a regulation

Article 7 – paragraph 4

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Amendment 99

Proposal for a regulation

Article 7 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1

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Amendment 100

Proposal for a regulation

Article 8 – title

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Amendment 101

Proposal for a regulation

Article 8 – paragraph 1

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Amendment 102

Proposal for a regulation

Article 8 – paragraph 2

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Amendment 103

Proposal for a regulation

Article 8 – paragraph 3

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Amendment 104

Proposal for a regulation

Article 9 – paragraph 1

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Amendment 105

Proposal for a regulation

Article 10 – paragraph 1

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Amendment 106

Proposal for a regulation

Article 10 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1

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Amendment 107

Proposal for a regulation

Article 10 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2

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Amendment 108

Proposal for a regulation

Article 10 – paragraph 3

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Amendment 109

Proposal for a regulation

Article 10 – paragraph 4

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Amendment 110

Proposal for a regulation

Article 11 – paragraph 1 a (new)

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Amendment 111

Proposal for a regulation

Article 11 – paragraph 3

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Amendment 112

Proposal for a regulation

Article 11 – paragraph 4

Or. en

Amendment 113

Proposal for a regulation

Article 12 – paragraph 2 – point a

Or. en

Amendment 114

Proposal for a regulation

Article 12 – paragraph 3

Or. en

Amendment 115

Proposal for a regulation

Article 13 – title

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Amendment 116

Proposal for a regulation

Article 13 – paragraph 1

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Amendment 117

Proposal for a regulation

Article 13 – paragraph 3

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Amendment 118

Proposal for a regulation

Article 14 – paragraph 4

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Amendment 119

Proposal for a regulation

Annex I – point a

Or. en

Amendment 120

Proposal for a regulation

Annex I – point b

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Amendment 121

Proposal for a regulation

Annex I – point c

Or. en

Amendment 122

Proposal for a regulation

Annex I – point d

Or. en

Amendment 123

Proposal for a regulation

Annex I – point e

Or. en

Amendment 124

Proposal for a regulation

Annex I – point f – paragraph 1 – introductory part

Or. en

Amendment 125

Proposal for a regulation

Annex I – point h

Or. en

Amendment 126

Proposal for a regulation

Annex I – point ha (new)

Or. en

Amendment 127

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point -a (new)

Or. en

Amendment 128

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point -a a (new)

Or. en

Amendment 129

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point -a b (new)

Or. en

Amendment 130

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point a

Or. en

Amendment 131

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point a b (new)

Or. en

Amendment 132

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point a c (new)

Or. en

Amendment 133

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point a d (new)

Or. en

Amendment 134

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point a e (new)

Or. en

Amendment 135

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point b – paragraph 1

Or. en

Amendment 136

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point b – paragraph 3

Or. en

Amendment 137

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 (new)

Or. en

Amendment 138

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point c – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1

Or. en

Amendment 139

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point c – paragraph 5

Or. en

Amendment 140

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point d – paragraph 3

Or. en

Amendment 141

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point e

Or. en

Amendment 142

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point f

Or. en

Amendment 143

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point g

Or. en

Amendment 144

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point h

Or. en

Amendment 145

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point i

Or. en

Amendment 146

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point j

Or. en

Amendment 147

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point k – introductory part

Or. en

Amendment 148

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point k – paragraph 1

Or. en

Amendment 149

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point k – paragraph 2

Or. en

Amendment 150

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point k – paragraph 3

Or. en

Amendment 151

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point l – paragraph 1

Or. en

Amendment 152

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point l – paragraph 2

Or. en

Amendment 153

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point l – paragraph 3

Or. en

Amendment 154

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point m

Or. en

Amendment 155

Proposal for a regulation

Annex II – point n

Or. en

Amendment 156

Proposal for a regulation

Annex III

Or. en

Amendment 157

Proposal for a regulation

Annex III a (new)

Or. en

Amendment 158

Proposal for a regulation

Annex IV – title

Or. en

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The climate and environmental crisis are putting the resilience of European forests under severe strain. Drought periods, rising temperatures and increasing frequency of storms cause forest fires, change the range of species and increase the pressure of pests. These catastrophic events threaten the ability of forests to fulfill their various environmental, social and economic functions. We risk losing habitats rich in biodiversity, acting as carbon sinks and support for rural communities. All of which requires closer cooperation across administrative borders.

In Europe, the history of monitoring forests reaches over a century. Today, most Member States have monitoring systems and frameworks in place to understand the state of their wood-based resources and the ecosystems that produce them. National Forest Inventories (NFIs) provide detailed knowledge that helps us understand and predict the development of forests. The experience and knowledge of NFIs are a solid foundation on which to build a forest monitoring system, while also ensuring that new technologies such as remote sensing are introduced as a complement.

The continuous progress of remote sensing and the land monitoring services offered by Copernicus allow for a significant evolution of the forest monitoring process in the coming years. However, in situ observations by forest experts and data collection on the ground will remain essential also in the future. Finally, this legislation provides an opportunity to monitor the implementation of existing legislation that affects forests more effectively.

Most Member States have a long history of working together to share approaches and reach a common understanding on forest issues. Most recently, the NFIs set up an association to institutionalize their cooperation. With the proposal for a Regulation on a Monitoring Framework for Resilient European Forests, the European Commission commits to participating in this cooperation and to strengthening the European dimension of forest monitoring.

The two co-rapporteurs note that the Commission proposal had received a mixed reception from the competent authorities of the Member States. They therefore consider it necessary to adopt a more decentralized and stepwise approach in achieving the objectives set out in this proposal in such a way as to create a spirit of cooperation and mutual trust. It is indeed important that the establishment of the European forest monitoring system does not destabilize the work already carried out by National Forest Inventories and national authorities.

To this end, the co-rapporteurs propose the following amendments to the Commission proposal.

Although other monitoring networks can be built, explicit reference should be made to NFIs and the public institutions that operate them. Throughout the proposal, it is necessary to maintain a clear distinction between the categories ‘data’ and ‘indicators’. The data refers to factual records collected from observations established according to protocols. Indicators are constructions collecting different data in order to present a quantified representation of a state, a phenomenon or a concept.

Moreover, while the Commission proposal mentions the Open Data Regulation, it lacks references to the fact that data collected by NFIs generally have the status of statistical data excluded from the scope of Open Data and covered by statistical confidentiality as defined by Regulation 223/2009. The co-rapporteurs therefore distinguish between, ‘geographically explicit data’ which contain precise information on the location of the place where they were collected and ‘geo-referenced data’ which are linked to an area that may be larger than the area or point from which they were collected.

The proposal for a regulation gives the Member States the possibility of producing certain indicators themselves (opt-out). The rapporteurs instead propose to reverse the rule as an opt-in to make better use of the existing knowledge at Member State level, while keeping the possibility for Member State to delegate to the Commission the calculation of the indicators which only requires Earth Observation. Moreover national authorities are offered the possibility to use the services provided by the Commission for the calculation of indicators defined in other forest-related regulations or for national interests. In this case, the competent authorities of the Member States will be given the opportunity to have full access to and be trained to use the Commissions programs directly for better collaboration.

In line with the position of using national experience to the fullest, the co-rapporteurs also propose to change the distribution of indicators in the different Annexes. Most of the responsibility for the indicators will be allocated to the Member States, where the collection of data and harmonisation will be done before sharing the result with the Commission. The co-rapporteurs also propose that indicators already reported on under other legislations will be moved to a new Annex and directly disclosed by the Commission, to reduce the administrative burden. For additional new indicators, it is proposed to refer their definition to delegated acts in order to give more time for the Commission and the Member States to achieve a common view.

ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEURS HAVE RECEIVED INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteurs declare that they received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the draft report:

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteurs.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteurs declare that they have submitted to the concerned natural persons the European Parliament's Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

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