Forestry in Europe

Working Party on Forestry

The Working Party on Forestry deals with forest-related issues regarding both international forest processes and the EU’s internal debates. Discussions on international forest processes include the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF), Forest Europe, the FAO Committee on Forestry (COFO) and a process of negotiation on a legally binding agreement on forests in Europe (LBA).

More details about Working Party on Forestry

Type Approval and OECD for Agricultural and Forestry Tractors

A system of mandatory European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA) has been in place for agricultural tractors for a number of years. Directive 2003/37/EC outlined the framework for a European-wide system of approval for agricultural or forestry tractors, their trailers and interchangeable towed machinery together with their systems, components or separate technical units for T1, T2 & T3 tractors. A EU Framework Regulation (EU) 167/2013 has now been published which will repeal Directive 2003/37/EC and 23 separate Directives on 1 January 2016. In their place will be 4 implementing EU Regulations, due to be published by 31 December 2014.

The Framework Regulation introduces access to information requirements, market surveillance requirements as well as changes to end of series requirements and new limits on the number of vehicles that can be produced under small series.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) oversees a series of Codes that apply to the testing of agricultural and forestry tractors, the codes are applied in addition to other forms of testing and are required in a number of countries around the world, both inside and outside of the European Community.