Mission, Vision and Objectives
The Romanian Wood Industry Association – Prolemn is a non-governmental, apolitical and non-profit organization that promotes the use of wood from sustainably managed forests in various industrial applications and represents the legitimate interests of wood-based industries in their relations with institutions and organizations at national and international level.
Mission, Vision, and Objectives
In the Association’s view, wood coming from sustainably managed forests is a renewable resource, which in the form of wood products and bioenergy contributes to economic development, local development and to the fight against climate change. Building on this vision, the Association will promote wood-based industries and inform the public about these industries, will promote the use of wood, as well as general-interest activities carried out by members of the Association.
At the same time, the Association will have the role of representing the legitimate interests of wood- based industries in relation to public authorities and institutions, governmental and non-governmental organizations active in the field, as well as any other organizations, entities and individuals, at national and international level.
Why was it founded now?
At European level, there is an entire set of directives, policies, strategies, and objectives, including the European forest strategy, supporting the development of the bioeconomy, the environmental and anti- climate-change directives – the well-known European Green Deal, the renewable energy targets, which are, in all, important foundations for promoting the use of sustainably managed forest wood as a development resource.
The Association aims to translate these lines of action into national strategies policies and policies, also based on the opportunity for a European Union multiannual financial framework 2021-2027 .
In Romania there is heated debate on the sustainable management of forests and the use of the wood resource, in which the Association aims to bring a balanced vision, based on the mentioned European policies and strategies, legitimately and transparently representing the interests of its members.
The aims of the Association in the short and long term
In the short term, we want to be involved in discussions on the development of the SUMAL 2.0 system, so that ensuring traceability and control of legal origin is geared toward the first placing on the market of wood. The wood industry wants a simple system that also ensures, based on primary documents, the legality of the provenance of wood.
We want to support the correct information of the European Commission in the infringement procedure open in the field of forests.
In the medium to long term, we want a forest and wood strategy, translated into national policies and strategies that integrate a vision of sustainable forest management and the superior use of the wood resource – by the wood industry – with economic, social and climate change benefits, given the substitution effect of wood products and energy for much larger environmental footprint products.
What are the secondary objectives?
Achieving the main objectives is possible only through a sustained construction process with many secondary objectives: institutionalized inter-sectoral dialog, development of the Association’s communication capacity, partnerships with the researchers and Academia to better ground policies and strategies, taking steps to build dialog and the recognition of the Association as a dialog partner by the authorities, etc. It is a construction process.
Organization, structure, membership
Who are the founding members of the Association?
The founding members are companies in the wood processing industry, representing a wide variety of activities specific to this industry: producers of technical wood panels, producers of deciduous and resinous timber, producers of laminated wood, veneer, panels, wooden houses, and others.
Is there a governing structure of the Association? Which companies are part of it? How was it chosen?
The governing bodies of the Association are: The General Assembly, the Board of Directors consisting of 9 members, and the President of the Association. The founding members are: Kronopspan Group Romania, HS Timber Group, Silvania International, J.F. Furnir, Star Gate SRL, Austro Somes Trading, Retro Comprod, Asirex Star. Mr. Catalin Constantin Tobescu was elected president of the Association.
How long is the term of office of the President/Management? How is voting organized?
The term of office for the leadership of the Association is 4 years. The voting in the Board of Directors shall be equal.
How many members are in total?
The Association was initiated by 9 founding members, a number limited by relatively complicated legal procedures for the formation. After the legal establishment the number of members increased by adhesions – there are now 30 members.
How many Romanian-owned companies are in the Association and how many foreign companies?
Among the founding members, there are 3 companies with majority foreign capital and 6 companies with majority Romanian capital.
How many employees have the members of the Association?
The members of the Association have a total of about 6,000 employees.
What is the total turnover of the members of the Association?
About 1 billion Euros.
What is the total amount of annual contributions paid to the State Budget by the member companies?
Estimated 80-120 million Euros.
Is the Association open to any forestry company, including the small ones? Who can join the Association? Which criteria should they meet?
The Association’s Statute provides for the possibility of joining as voting members for the companies in the core wood processing industries, but also for the possibility of observing membership for companies from other sectors in the wood supply and processing chain.
The Association’s Statute provides for the promotion of compliance with the applicable legislation and the highest ethical and professional standards in the wood industry.
How does the Association stand against the illegal logging phenomenon? Will it provide a code of conduct to which any current and future member of it should be obliged to adhere?
The Association supports sustainable forest management, and the Statute provides for the promotion of compliance with applicable legislation and the highest ethical and professional standards in the wood industry. The Association supports sustainable forest exploitation, and the Statute provides for the promotion of compliance with applicable legislation and the highest ethical and professional standards in the wood industry.
For more information please contact:
Cătălin Tobescu
President,
Association of the Wood Industry – Prolemn
catalin.tobescu@pro-lemn.ro
+40 758 979 531