New EFI publication takes a bird’s eye view of EU wood-based policy
The wood-based sector, made up of industries relying primarily on wood and wood-based products, is under the spotlight from national, European and international policymakers. Wood offers numerous benefits for our consumer economy: it is renewable, organic, and sequesters carbon throughout its life cycle. It can be a substitute for fossil-based materials such as steel, plastic and concrete, and it supports the transition to a circular bioeconomy.
Yet, balancing industrial use with the protection of forests and the ecosystem services they provide – such as biodiversity conservation, and carbon sequestration – presents policy challenges and trade-offs crucial for consideration by industry, policymakers, and practitioners, with implications for wider society.
Navigating the wood-based sector’s policy landscape is a challenge in itself, however, with the EU policy environment particularly fragmented and complex. A new EFI Knowledge to Action publication takes the reader on a guided journey through this complex panorama, providing a bird’s eye view on EU wood-based policy and swooping in on crucial details important for wood-based sector stakeholders.
Taking a bird's eye view of EU wood-based policy maps EU policy and institutional frameworks, identifying the key actors and mechanisms that shape wood-based policy. It provides a detailed overview of the regulatory landscape affecting the EU construction sector, and explores ways to improve policymaking processes that support the sustainable use of wood while balancing competing policy objectives.
As lead author Filip Aggestam, currently visting researcher at EFI’s Forest Policy Research Network at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) observes, “EU wood-based policy is not defined by a single framework – it is a puzzle of overlapping regulations, competing priorities, and evolving sustainability goals. Understanding how these pieces fit together is key to navigating the sector’s future."
As well as a detailed directory of frameworks, mechanisms and instruments influencing wood policy, the study provides key recommendations for action. These include improving policy coherence through cross-sectoral coordination, recognising the role of wood in reducing fossil fuel dependency, expanding financial support for innovation, and monitoring and adapting policies based on measurable results.
The publication also calls for an integrated approach to fully address the complexities of wood-based policy, and to consider the entire value chain, including construction, textiles, bioplastics, and chemicals, which increasingly rely on wood as a raw material. An integrated approach would prioritise environmental practices and align policies for the wood-based sector with broader EU objectives to support sustainable forest management, nature conservation, and fair trade. Aligning EU wood-based policy with the EU’s broader bioeconomy and circular economy goals strengthens its support for practices and action for a more sustainable future for its citizens.
Full citation: Aggestam, F., Weiss, G., Elomina, J., & Pülzl, H. (2025). Taking a bird’s eye view of EU wood-based policy: Untangling policy, institutional, and actor frameworks affecting the wood-based sectors. Knowledge to Action 7. European Forest Institute. https://doi.org/10.36333/k2a07
More information: helga.puelzl @ efi.int
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