EU faces softwood shortage and hardwood surplus, study reveals

A recent in-depth study, “Preliminary Evidence of Softwood Shortage and Hardwood Availability in EU Regions,” has shed light on significant supply imbalances within Europe’s forest-based bioeconomy. Researchers from Wageningen University, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, and other institutions analyzed data from the European Forest Industry Database (EUFID), revealing critical mismatches between wood resources and processing capacities across European countries. The study findings suggest that while Europe’s forestry infrastructure is vast, it may not be fully aligned with current and future wood demands. EUFID data points to substantial processing capacities across Europe, with pulp ...