ROUNDTABLE MEETING ON A LEGALLY BINDING AGREEMENT ON FORESTS IN EUROPE

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1 RTM/2018/0/Draft Annotated Agenda ROUNDTABLE MEETING ON A LEGALLY BINDING AGREEMENT ON FORESTS IN EUROPE Bratislava, September 2018 DRAFT ANNOTATED AGENDA 1. Opening of the meeting 2. Adoption of the draft agenda 3. Summary of previous development on a legally binding agreement on forests in Europe 4. Discussion forum Block I. General positions/views of signatories and observers towards a legally binding agreement on forests in Europe Block II. Procedural follow-up of the Madrid Extraordinary Ministerial Decision 5. Any other business 6. Conclusions 7. Closure of the meeting Meeting hours: Wednesday, 19 September 2018; Thursday, 20 September 2018; ; Venue: Bratislava, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Hodžovo nám. 2, Bratislava Reception: Wednesday, 19 September 2018;

2 ANNOTATIONS 1. Opening of the meeting The meeting will be opened by the General Director of the Section of Forestry and Wood Processing of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic, Peter Kicko. The meeting will be chaired by representatives of two co-chairing countries of the General Coordinating Committee (GCC) of the FOREST EUROPE process: Boris Greguška (Slovak Republic) and Aljoscha Requardt (Germany). 2. Adoption of the draft agenda In accordance with the established procedure, the Roundtable Meeting shall, at the beginning of the session, adopt the agenda. The co-chairs will introduce the draft agenda. 3. Summary of previous development on a legally binding agreement on forests in Europe The Background Document for FOREST EUROPE Roundtable Meeting on Legally Binding Agreement on Forests in Europe provides brief factual information on the previous developments on a legally binding agreement on forests in Europe (LBA). Based on available documents, the paper provides a concise overview of this process since the fifth Ministerial Conference held in 2007 until today. To summarize the most important milestones of the LBA process, a brief presentation will be delivered by Silje Trollstøl - representative of Norway. Norway held the chairmanship in FOREST EUROPE from 2008 to 2011, and therefore had a role in facilitating the preparations of the ministerial decision in Oslo to start negotiations on a legally binding agreement on forests in Europe. Documentation: RTM/2018/1/Background Document for FOREST EUROPE Roundtable Meeting on Legally Binding Agreement on Forests in Europe (circulated among FOREST EUROPE signatories and observers on 28 th March 2018) 4. Discussion forum To enable exchange of views among FOREST EUROPE signatories and observers regarding the Madrid Extraordinary Ministerial Decision, the RTM meeting will serve as a platform for informal discussion. Delegations are invited to present their views and positions towards a possible LBA and procedural options to follow-up of the Madrid Extraordinary Ministerial Decision. Due to the nature of RTM, negotiations are not expected to take place and no formal decision is to be taken during the discussion forum. In line with the decision of the Expert Level Meeting held in November 2017, the RTM will be moderated in an interactive manner. The discussion will be facilitated by Piotr Borkowski, who currently represents the European State Forest Association (EUSTAFOR). The discussion forum will be divided into two blocks, as outlined by the guiding questions presented in the above mentioned Background Document. The guiding questions were formulated to provide a basis for preparation of countries and observers for the discussions and formulate their views and positions. 2

3 Block I. General positions/views of signatories and observers towards a legally binding agreement on forests in Europe Delegations of FOREST EUROPE signatories and observers are invited to present their views and positions towards a possible LBA. Discussion should focus on general perceptions, benefits and impacts of LBA as well as other related general aspects to be addressed, such as barriers and preconditions to restart possible negotiations on and adoption of LBA. Discussion may touch upon new important aspects/areas or topics, which were not addressed in the previous discussions on LBA (or not included in agreed ad ref. parts of the Draft Negotiating Text - DNT), but might be lacking now due to recent forestrelated developments or any other reasons. The purpose of this block is to discuss signatories and observers interests, motivations, flexibilities, expectations and willingness to restart joint work on the preparation of LBA. The discussions should be limited to the exchange of views and opinions; it is not expected to negotiate any aspects of LBA or to propose particular formulations for the DNT itself. Outcomes from the discussion forum will serve as a background for possible future actions/decisions on future steps to be taken by formal FOREST EUROPE structures. Block II. Procedural follow-up of the Madrid Extraordinary Ministerial Decision FOREST EUROPE signatories are invited to present their opinions and discuss possible options for procedural follow-up of the Madrid Extraordinary Ministerial Decision. As like in Block I delegates are requested to avoid negotiation. The General Coordinating Committee (GCC) in cooperation with the Liaison Unit Bratislava has prepared the Explanatory Note on Possible Procedural Pathways to Follow-up of the Madrid Ministerial Decision. The Note describes in more detail the procedural options as indicated in the guiding questions listed in the Background Document. The purpose of this Note is to facilitate preparations of signatories for the RTM and lead the discussion by outlining and explaining main possible options for the procedural follow-up of the Madrid Extraordinary Ministerial Decision. Procedural steps under the UN system, which require UN internal procedures to be followed, have been consulted with the FAO and the UNECE Secretariats. The Note, however, does not aim to limit discussions in finding or proposing other relevant options or pathways. Similarly, the document, at any case, does not represent any priority order or preferences of the options outlined. As in the previous block, it is expected to limit the discussion to present views only, which could be used, at a later stage, as a background for possible future actions/decisions to be taken by formal FOREST EUROPE structures. Documentation: RTM/2018/1/Background Document for FOREST EUROPE Roundtable Meeting on Legally Binding Agreement on Forests in Europe (circulated among FOREST EUROPE signatories and observers on 28 th March 2018) RTM/2018/2/Explanatory Note on Possible Procedural Pathways to Follow-up of the Madrid (to be circulated before the RTM) 3

4 5. Any other business Participants of the RTM are invited to discuss any other aspects which might be relevant for implementing the Madrid Extraordinary Ministerial Decision and were not included under the previous agenda items. 6. Conclusions The moderator will summarize discussions of Block I and Block II, highlighting main points discussed and presented by the signatories and observers. Based on that, the Co-Chairs Summary will be provided to the participants. The summary will be transmitted to the Expert Level Meeting and also shared with all FOREST EUROPE signatories and observers. 7. Closure of the meeting --- Contact: FOREST EUROPE - LIAISON UNIT BRATISLAVA T.G. Masaryka 22, Zvolen, Slovak Republic T ; liaison.unit.bratislava@foresteurope.org 4

5 INDICATIVE TIME SCHEDULE 19 September Opening of the meeting (Agenda Item 1) Adoption of the agenda (Agenda Item 2) Summary of previous development on a legally binding agreement on forests in Europe (Agenda Item 3) Discussion forum (Agenda Item 4) Block I. General positions/views of signatories and observers towards a legally binding agreement on forests in Europe Coffee break Block I. General positions/views of signatories and observers towards a legally binding agreement on forests in Europe Reception 20 September Coffee break Lunch break Any other business (Agenda Item 5) Coffee break Conclusions (Agenda Item 6) Closure of the meeting (Agenda Item 7) 5