As a natural development of our network and its statute, the chairmanship of our Steering Committee changed. I took over the chair at a time when my predecessors had done a lot in designing its strategy, in securing an organizational basis as well as the funds needed for the establishment, maintenance and launching of some of the ETFRN initiatives including the newsletter, the nucleus of an information data base on tropical forest matters and electronic linking among different associated organizations. This web is designed to facilitate an easy flow of information on European capabilities and resources to be at the service of tropical countries in a mutually beneficial interrelationship.
Much has been achieved in the last years and ETFRN owes very much to the dedication of the past two chairmen. There is, however, still much to be done to sustainably build our ETFRN community, to encourage cooperative activities among its members and to promote a diversified set of services capable of generating a wide interest and commitment to warrant further development.
We have to recognize we are yet in a stage of growth and consolidation in an area where informational products have a value which is hard to define. From the strategy point of view this means that we still have to find ways to define and facilitate the emergence of informational needs which, I believe, will impact strongly in rationalizing and integrating the organization of the tropical forest research. Even if the digitised information assets are available and transmitted and enjoyed, it is doubtful the market will take off unless the appropriate commercial, financial and legal mechanisms are in place to support a development process. Demand side can only provide part of the impulse needed to consolidate our network. I see the strategies to encourage cooperative activities and increased commitment from member organizations to network development and to allow professional network management - keeping things up to date to ensure relevance of data, classification, sorting and storing - the major challenge laying ahead.
To fulfill this challenge requires more than the initiatives of the chairman and of the Coordinating Unit; it needs a strong commitment from the whole ETFRN community to forward ideas, suggestions and information to enrich our European tropical forest community as well as researchers and institutions in the tropics. The strength of our community, and our influence on the political dialogue on major problems of deforestation and tropical forest protection and development will depend on the direct involvement of each national node. They will be the key element in helping and furthering a solid commitment from national institutions and donors. That is the road we have before us to go forward.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
The first ETFRN Executive Committee of the year was held in Brussels last June 11. Items discussed included the present situation of the network, particularly focussing on E-mail connections and the Question and Answer service; the strategy paper on the future of ETFRN; updating the ETFRN organisations database; and ETFRN participation in the ICRIS consultation in Austria.
TROPICAL FORESTS BUDGET LINE
As mentioned in the previous issue of the ETFRN News, the tropical forests budget line is managed by DG 1B, for Asia, Latin America and the Mediterranean countries, and by DGVIII for Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. Both Departments are entering a reorganisation process, as staff dealing with project finance and administration will be moving to one new common department for the management of aid. The process should be completed this year. It will mean that new applications for funds will probably not be considered before the end of the year.
Both DG1B and DG VIII are exploring the possibilities for a small grants programme under the tropical forest budget line.
The present tropical forests budget line ends in December 1999. Several Commission Departments are involved in writing a communication on tropical forests which will be addressed to the Council and the Parliament. It is expected to contain a request to continue the budget line.
EVALUATIONS
The final draft of an evaluation of EC forest programmes in developing countries was recently completed. The final version will be available soon. The evaluation of the Environmental Performance of EC Programmes in Developing countries was completed last December 1997.
MEETING ON SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN AMAZONIA
The European commission has funded an international meeting to exchange information on sustainable forest management in Amazonia, in Iquitos, Peru, from 15 - 19 June 1998, and organised by the University of the Peruvian Amazon in Iquitos. DGXII, DGXI and DG1B were involved. The objective was to learn lessons and formulate guidelines for decision makers on sustainable forest management. The results of the meeting should contribute the EC strategy on Amazonia and be fed into the global debate on forests.