CEI-Bois, which represents the European woodworking industries, and the European Organisation of the Sawmill Industry (EOS) have created this role with the intention of boosting their advocacy activities towards the European Commission and the European Parliament.
“The time has come for us to make a much stronger case to European decision makers that wood-based products are a part of the solution to mitigate the climate crisis,” said Anders Ek, CEI-Bois chair. “Paul Brannen established a strong reputation during his time as a MEP as an advocate for increased timber use to help create a more sustainable society hence we are very pleased to have secured him as a member of our team”.
“We were delighted to see the president of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, specifically reference the important contribution building in wood can make to tackling climate change in her recent speech to the European Parliament,” added Sampsa Auvinen, EOS president. “We are hoping the appointment of former MEP Brannen to this new advocacy role can help turn our collective aspirations into the legislative and policy changes that will deliver a significant increase in timber use especially in the construction industry to the benefit of the climate.”
“As an MEP I served on both the Parliament’s environment and agriculture committees and was rapporteur on the last forest strategy and also on the LULUCF legislation,” said Mr Brannen. “I’m convinced, in part as a result of visiting some of the world’s largest timber buildings, that the sequestration of carbon in long life timber products is one of the most significant ways in which we can tackle climate change.”
Mr Brannen was an MEP from 2014-2019 representing the north-east of England. He was a member of the S&D Group and a vice-chair of the Parliament’s Canada delegation and of the Club de Bois.
This appointment follows the recent decision to merge the general-secretary roles of both CEI-Bois and EOS, a role taken by Silvia Melegari who has been secretary-general of EOS since 2015.
“The time has come for us to make a much stronger case to European decision makers that wood-based products are a part of the solution to mitigate the climate crisis,” said Anders Ek, CEI-Bois chair. “Paul Brannen established a strong reputation during his time as a MEP as an advocate for increased timber use to help create a more sustainable society hence we are very pleased to have secured him as a member of our team”.
“We were delighted to see the president of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, specifically reference the important contribution building in wood can make to tackling climate change in her recent speech to the European Parliament,” added Sampsa Auvinen, EOS president. “We are hoping the appointment of former MEP Brannen to this new advocacy role can help turn our collective aspirations into the legislative and policy changes that will deliver a significant increase in timber use especially in the construction industry to the benefit of the climate.”
“As an MEP I served on both the Parliament’s environment and agriculture committees and was rapporteur on the last forest strategy and also on the LULUCF legislation,” said Mr Brannen. “I’m convinced, in part as a result of visiting some of the world’s largest timber buildings, that the sequestration of carbon in long life timber products is one of the most significant ways in which we can tackle climate change.”
Mr Brannen was an MEP from 2014-2019 representing the north-east of England. He was a member of the S&D Group and a vice-chair of the Parliament’s Canada delegation and of the Club de Bois.
This appointment follows the recent decision to merge the general-secretary roles of both CEI-Bois and EOS, a role taken by Silvia Melegari who has been secretary-general of EOS since 2015.
