 EU has had rather limited success in UN negotiations concerning sustainable forestry. In her doctoral thesis Ms Gunilla Reischl in the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences has examined the factors, which have promoted respectively reduced EU's influence in various forestry questions.
EU is often considered to be a driving force and sometimes even a leader in international co-operation concerning important environmental issues. However, EU has been confronted with problems in international UN forestry negotiations. The UN has discussed forestry questions for more than a decade and these talks still continue. These discussions – which among other things strive to prevent deforestation - have not resulted in any binding convention which in fact has been the result of many other important international environmental processes.
Several observers consider these negotiations to be a failure, even though they have established the basis for further talks on international level concerning forest related questions. Over the years the negotiations have revealed deep clefts between countries, in particular between the North and the
South. An important reason for this has been different opinions among parties concerning sovereignty aspects and the global aspects of forests.
In this process EU's activities have been variable and difficult to understand. The purpose of Gunilla Reischl's doctoral thesis has been to increase knowledge of EU's role in international forestry negotiations. For case study purposes she has chosen three questions, which have been intensively discussed; a forest convention, certification and a global forest fund for financing sustainable forestry.
Ms Reischl has examined the impact of three main factors influencing EU 's activity in the negotiations; interests, institutions and ideas. These cover, for example, questions relating to how big interest there exists within EU for above-mentioned issues and if Member States are unanimous, the EU decision making process and negotiators negotiation mandate as well as the value basis that has a more implicit impact on EU's performance in negotiations.
The thesis demonstrates that EU's influence varies, even within one and the same negotiating process. EU has had more difficulties in achieving its objectives in negotiations concerning the internationally binding forest convention than concerning certification and the global forest fund. One conclusion of the thesis is that EU's behaviour in the negotiations has not always resulted in constructive co-operation in forest policy sector.
In a broader perspective the thesis demonstrates the importance of understanding why and how important actors like EU behave in a certain manner in international decision making in environment related questions. Better understanding of the factors behind successes and failures can improve international environmental co-operation.
The thesis is based on material from the negotiation process, for example interviews and documents. Ms Reischl has also been present in a number of negotiation sessions and in co-ordination meetings between the EU Member States.
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