Commission guidelines on tropical forests
The European Commission has adopted guidelines on forest sector development cooperation. The guidelines have been adopted in order to contribute to the delivery of better quality tropical forest assistance to developing countries. The Commission has already responded to the challenges posed by world deforestation. Between 1992 and 1995, an average of ECU 85 million per year of Community funding went to tropical forest activities. The new guidelines will enable these activities to be continued, and lay down principles for cooperation in this field, based on the need to ensure sustainable development. The principles contained in the guidelines cover the social, economic and environmental principles of policy and programmes. The guidelines contain both a strategic approach and tools for implementing this approach. A series of workshops will be held in developing countries to test the new guidelines.