The four bodies, which describe themselves as representing the core of the European forest sector, are the European Confederation of Woodworking Industries (CEI-Bois), European Forest Owners (CEPF) and European Paper Industries (CEPI) and the European State Forest Association (Eustafor).
They have agreed to "formally commit themselves to strengthen communication and co-operation". They have also defined their core aims: to promote the principles of sustainable forest management, the use of wood and resource efficiency, and the relevance of forest and forest-based sectors in "rural development and the global green economy".
Mr de Jaeger. "We have to make clear such misconceptions are not the case."
