46. Emphasises that, although Europe possesses undeniable know-how about forestry, which stems from long-standing traditional forestry practices, financial resources for research into the impact of climate change on forests need to be increased; is of the opinion that, in view of the scientific uncertainty surrounding the timescale and extent of the threats to forests in different areas, it is necessary to earmark funding for climate research according to specific needs and solutions applicable to different bioclimatic zones, so as to improve the relevant knowledge base;

information provided by the Joint Research Centre on forecast of fire risk within the framework of the European Forest Fire Risk Forecasting System (EFFRFS) and on mapping and evaluation of damages caused by fire which affect an area of at least 50 hectares within the framework of the European Forest Fire Damage Assessment System (EFFDAS).

EFFIS has been built on the achievements of the Community information system on forest fires, established and implemented under Regulation (EEC) No 2158/92 and Regulation (EC) No 804/94 and includes additional information gathered by the Joint Research Centre under the Forest Fire Risk Forecasting System (EFFRFS) and the European Forest Fire Damage Assessment System (EFFDAS).

1. Notes the Commission’s proposal to introduce an action plan for sustainable forestry and stresses that the EU’s responsibility in the field of forestry policy is and should remain very limited; stresses that the basic perspective for all decision-making affecting European forests must be that European forests differ substantially from each other and face different environmental challenges; considers, therefore, that the EU action plan for sustainable forestry must be consistent with the international commitments of the EU and its Member States, and be drawn up with the subsidiarity principle to the fore and be based on the national ...[+++]forestry programmes. The forestry sector will not contribute further to the loss and fragmentation of habitats and compromise the attainment of the EU objective to halt biodiversity loss by 2010.

Community actions carried out in support of SFM cover several major fields of activity: rural development, forest protection and monitoring, biodiversity, climate change, forest-based products, forest certification, research, forest information and communication, and forest reproductive material and plant health.

(3) The wide range of activities carried out in the Member States (by a public sector body or natural or legal persons) and by various international organisations and programmes such as FAO, the European Cooperative Programme for Crop Genetic Resources Networks (ECP/GR), the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR), the Agricultural Research for Development (ARD) regional and subregional organisations supported by the Community, the European Regional Focal Point (ERFP) of National Coordinators for the Management of Farm Animal Genetic Resources, the European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (Euforgen) and the related commitments of the ongoing Ministerial Conference on the prot ...[+++]ection of forests in Europe (MCPFE) to which the Community is signatory call for an effective information exchange and close coordination between the Community main actors and with the relevant organisations throughout the world with regard to the conservation, characterisation, collection and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture so as to enhance their positive impact on agriculture.