The European woodworking industry has reiterated its call for more competitive framework conditions, a stronger bioeconomy and greater support for timber construction during the CEI-Bois General Assembly held in Berlin.<\/p>\n
Members of CEI-Bois, the European Confederation of Woodworking Industries, met in Berlin on 9-10 June 2026 for their annual General Assembly, hosted by the German wood industry federation HDH.<\/p>\n
The meeting was followed by a European Parliamentary Evening at the Bavarian State Representation in Berlin, where industry representatives and policymakers discussed the future of Europe's forest-based economy.<\/p>\n
Secure wood supply seen as key to Europe's bioeconomy<\/strong><\/p>\n HDH President Dr Carsten Merforth described Europe's forests as a strategic asset that requires continued investment in resilience, adaptation and sustainable forest management.<\/p>\n According to Merforth, forest protection and the sustainable use of forest resources are complementary objectives. A secure and sustainable wood supply remains essential for Europe's bioeconomy, climate neutrality goals, strategic autonomy and industrial competitiveness.<\/p>\n Industry calls for practical regulation<\/strong><\/p>\n CEI-Bois President Sampsa Auvinen stated that the European woodworking industry is ready to invest, innovate and contribute to Europe's competitiveness, climate ambitions and housing needs.<\/p>\n However, he stressed that the sector needs a regulatory framework that is proportionate, predictable and practical. CEI-Bois argued that sustainability objectives should be aligned with economic growth, innovation and investment.<\/p>\n The organisation warned that excessive administrative requirements could weaken competitiveness and slow the transition towards a circular and climate-neutral economy.<\/p>\n Timber construction highlighted as housing solution<\/strong><\/p>\n Against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty, difficult market conditions and continued pressure on the construction sector, CEI-Bois members reaffirmed their commitment to delivering sustainable solutions for Europe's climate, housing and industrial objectives.<\/p>\n With Europe facing a growing housing shortage and an ageing building stock requiring renovation, participants emphasised that timber construction and engineered wood products can play an important role in providing affordable, sustainable and high-quality housing.<\/p>\n The General Assembly also examined future European climate and industrial policies beyond 2030 and their potential impact on wood availability.<\/p>\n Focus on skills and workforce development<\/strong><\/p>\n Participants highlighted the importance of skills development and improving the attractiveness of careers within the woodworking sector. As a recognised European Social Partner, CEI-Bois continues to contribute actively to social dialogue at EU level.<\/p>\n The organisation is also involved in initiatives such as the GOOD\u00b3W project, which promotes diversity, inclusion and the role of women across the woodworking value chain.<\/p>\n Visit to Timpla's timber-module facility<\/strong><\/p>\n A key part of the programme was a visit to Timpla's timber-module production facility in Eberswalde, one of Germany's leading industrial timber construction plants.<\/p>\n The visit demonstrated how modern prefabricated timber construction can provide scalable, resource-efficient and climate-friendly solutions to Europe's growing housing needs.<\/p>\n CEI-Bois concluded that wood products and timber construction are essential pillars of a competitive European bioeconomy. By transforming renewable raw materials into long-lasting products and buildings that store carbon, the sector contributes to climate objectives, supports employment and rural communities, and helps reduce dependence on fossil-based materials.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The European woodworking industry has reiterated its call for more competitive framework conditions, a stronger bioeconomy and greater support for timber construction during the CEI-Bois General Assembly held in Berlin.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":99000,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5204],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-98999","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n