– We act with the aim to highlight unresolved issues regarding the deforestation regulation that will be implemented all over the European Union less than one year from now, says Jonas Andersson, Chair EFNS Region Jämtland Härjedalen and an NSPA steering committee member.

The deforestation legislation was adopted June 9 2023 and will enter into force in January 1 2025.

– We act at the EU level because there are several unresolved issues still being discussed between the EU Commission and several parties in the forestry sector. We want to try to influence the EU Commission to sort things out in the best way possible, says Jonas Andersson.

He adds that the unresolved issues need to be sorted out soon as it takes time för all parties in the biomass sector chain to adapt.

Why is this important to the Northern Sparsely Populated Areas?

–  Forestry is extremely important for the entire economy of North-East Finland and Northern Sweden. We have the EU's northernmost forests, and it is important that people the EU Commission understand the special conditions we have with the cold and light conditions for forestry to function in the best way, says Jonas Andersson. 

The NSPA network represents close collaboration between the four northernmost counties of Sweden, Norrbotten, Västerbotten, Jämtland Härjedalen, Västernorrland, the seven northernmost and eastern regions of Finland, Lapland, Northern Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, Kainuu, North Karelia, Pohjois-Savo and South Savo, and North Norway, Finnmark Troms region and Nordland.

Read the letter in full here