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Governing forests of the European Union: institutional framework for interest representation at the European Community level
Author(s) -
Lazdinis Marius,
Angelstam Per,
Lazdinis Imantas
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
environmental policy and governance
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.987
H-Index - 48
eISSN - 1756-9338
pISSN - 1756-932X
DOI - 10.1002/eet.492
Subject(s) - european union , multi level governance , stakeholder , corporate governance , openness to experience , european commission , citizen journalism , political science , forest management , business , environmental resource management , environmental planning , public administration , public relations , forestry , geography , economics , psychology , social psychology , finance , law , economic policy
Abstract We analyse whether the European Community provides for articulating a common set of priorities for society and supports openness and participation in the area of forest policy at the Community level. In doing so, we review the institutional framework and, using the results of the internet‐based stakeholder consultation, assess the presence of interested parties at the level of the European Community. In addition, from the same consultation we learn about the opinions of the interest groups concerning possible areas for enhancing coherence in forest governance in the European Union. The results of the study demonstrate that there is a range of possibilities for participation of different interest groups and flow of information between the European Commission and the stakeholders. However, the number of interest groups prepared to actively participate in Community‐level forest and forestry‐related policy‐ and decision‐making is relatively low. We conclude that the present institutional arrangements should be sufficient for open and participatory priority setting in forest governance at the European Community level. However, based on the ‘stakeholder consultation’ we also conclude that co‐ordination and co‐operation, and hence coherence, in forest and forestry‐related policy‐ and decision‐making at the Community level should be improved. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.