Minister Podgoršek presented the views of Slovenia, stressing the importance of forests for nature, society and economy at the national level and the role of forests in achieving the global goals in the fight against climate change and improving biodiversity. A conference of the Confederation of European Forest Owners was held in parallel with the ministerial conference.

Forests are amongst EU's most dominant landscape features: they cover around 40 percent of the EU's territory and have a decisive influence on the quality of life of its citizens. They provide unique habitats for fauna and flora while offering renewable resources and clean air and contributing to human health. They protect us against natural hazards, safeguard many jobs and are a major source of recreation. Forests in the EU and sustainable forest management contribute significantly to achieving the goals of the European Green Deal. In this context, ministers from Germany, Finland, Sweden, Slovakia and Slovenia discussed today the future of the EU forest policy.

Minister Podgoršek stressed in the discussion that Slovenia supports the promotion of sustainable, multifunctional and close-to-nature forest management, which takes into account all three pillars: the ecological, social and economic. "Slovenia traditionally supports active forest management since it enables us to ensure all forest functions. Forests play an important role in achieving national, European and global objectives. Sustainable, close-to-nature and multifunctional forest management contributes to creating sinks, supporting the increased use of timber products, replacing fossil materials and fuels, as well as protecting biodiversity, ensuring green jobs and developing bioeconomy and rural development, where wood is an important source of income for farms and forest owners."

According to the Minister, it is crucial that Member States cooperate and exchange views on how to adapt forests to climate change as much as possible. "In achieving the goals, it is important to involve stakeholders. National processes, such as Forest Dialogue, which is successfully implemented in Slovenia, can serve as examples of good practice. In Slovenia, we carry out discussions with all stakeholders. Forestry and the entire forest-wood chain together with tourism influence rural conservation and development, and represent one of the pillars of green, circular and digital economy."

Eleven EU member states (Germany, France, Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Hungary, Poland and Romania) signed a joint declaration and submitted it to the European Commission. Slovenia is not among the signatories of the declaration since it holds the presidency of the Council of the EU and assumes a neutral position.