The European Parliament voted on Tuesday to reject a proposed EU regulation that sought to improve forest data collection — a blow to ongoing efforts to strengthen environmental monitoring across member states. The draft legislation, tabled by the European Commission in 2023, aimed to introduce a unified system for tracking forest conditions across the bloc, in response to rising cross-border risks like wildfires, drought, and insect outbreaks.
A total of 370 MEPs backed the rejection, with 264 voting against. A coalition of lawmakers from the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) and far-right groups drove the outcome.
Nipped in the bud
Opponents of the bill voiced a range of concerns, arguing it would create unnecessary red tape. Critics said the proposed system risked overloading landowners and national authorities with additional reporting duties — especially in countries where comprehensive forest monitoring is already in place. Some also questioned whether the EU should be making rules in this area at all, viewing the proposal as an encroachment on national policymaking.
Others doubted the added value of an EU-wide data system. Forest owners and policymakers warned it could duplicate existing efforts and disrupt national practices without clearly demonstrating better outcomes. The Commission, they argued, had failed to show how the added layers of oversight would lead to more effective forest protection.
Reaction
Speaking after the vote, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos noted that the Commission “takes good note of the vote” and would now “take appropriate action in light of the positions of both co-legislators.” The Commission has not formally withdrawn the proposal, but many expect it to scrap the bill, especially after the Council adopted a softened version of the text earlier.
The decision prompted frustration among some MEPs and environmental groups. Emma Wiesner, co-rapporteur on the file from the Renew group, described the vote as “a lost opportunity” to introduce shared standards across the EU. Kelsey Perlman, a forest campaigner with the NGO Fern, echoed that view.
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Green MEP Sara Matthieu was particualrly scathing after the vote was in: “Christian Democrats are launching a full-scale attack on our forests. Last year, more than a million hectares of forest went up in flames in the EU—better mapping of forests is therefore urgently needed. In Flanders alone, another 300 football fields of forest were cut down. By voting against this, we’re shooting ourselves in the foot.”
