The 6th Expert Group Meeting and TWG Innovation & Research Workshop and in Zurich, Switzerland
April 1 @ 8:30 am - April 2 @ 3:30 pm
This two-day event features the 6th Expert Group Meeting of the European Wood Policy Platform, a workshop of the Technical Working Group “Innovation & Research” and two visits.
On Tuesday (1 April 2025), TWG Innovation & Research workshop participants will engage in discussions on bridging the gap between research and commercialization, including brief flash presentations on success stories. The workshop will end with an exclusive tour of a production plant operated by a major construction company, which is currently building a 24-storey timber hybrid high-rise using glue-laminated beech wood for residential and commercial purposes (Note: Slots for this tour are limited and allocated at a first-come, first-served basis).
On Wednesday (2 April 2025), the WoodPoP 6th Expert Group Meeting (hybrid) will provide updates on the Wood Policy Paper and international developments and processes, feature a presentation of a study on EU wood-based policy developments, discuss the next steps for the Platform and the upcoming 4th High-Level Meeting, and culminate in a visit to the NEST facility for sustainable building technologies.
PROGRAMME
Day 1 Tuesday, 1 April 2025
Technical Working Group Innovation & Research Workshop (Hybrid)
08.00 – 08.30 Registration & Welcome Coffee
08.30 – 08.45 Short Introduction of the Host, EBP Schweiz AG
08.45 – 09.15 Opening Remarks
Introduction to the objectives of the Forum and the importance of public-private funding programs in driving innovation
09.15 – 09.45 Current information on “Horizon Europe”
09:45 – 10:00 The European research and innovation landscape in the wood sector: How to increase the success rate of the wood sector?
10:00 – 10:15 Coffee break
10:15 – 11:15 3-minute flash presentation by TWG members on innovation: success stores
- Title, Programme, Amount, and Partners
- Results and Next Steps
- What is the X-Factor for this success story? What is the added value?
11:15 – 11:45 Setting the Scene for the TWGs
Overcoming financing barriers and increasing private investment
11:45 – 12:00 Wrap-up, Next Steps
12:00 – 13:00 Lunch
13:00 – 18:00 Post-workshop Excursion
Excursion to ERNE AG Holzbau
Please note that slots for this excursion is limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
18.00 Dinner (upon invitation of FOEN)
Day 2 Wednesday, 2 April 2025
6th Expert Group Meeting (Hybrid)
08.00 – 08.30 Registration
08.30 – 08.40 Opening of the meeting
08.40 – 09.00 Update on the Wood Policy Paper
09.15 – 10.20 Updates and WoodPoP Status Quo
10.20 – 10.40 Coffee break
10.40 – 11.20 Study Presentation
“Taking a bird’s eye view of EU wood-based policy: Untangling policy, institutional, and actor frameworks affecting the wood-based sectors” by Aggestam, F., Weiss, G., Elomina, J. and Helga Puelzl.
11.20 – 11.40 Updates on international developments and processes
11.40 – 11.50 Preparation for the 4th High Level Meeting (15 October 2025, Izola, Slovenia)
11.50 – 11.55 AOB
11.55 – 12.00 Wrap-up and closure of the meeting
12.00 – 13.00 Lunch (Standing snacks)
13.30 – 15.15 Post-EGM Excursion
Excursion to Empa-NEST
15.15 End of workshop and return
Further information
The 6th Expert Group Meeting and the TWG Innovation & Research Workshop will be in English.
Registration
To register for the event, kindly refer to the link found within Invitation PDF below:
1- Invitation woodPoP TWG IR WS Zurich 1-2 April 2025
Meeting Documents
Please find the draft agenda and the practical information for the Workshop and the Expert Group Meeting below:
2 – 6th ExpertGroupMeeting_draft agenda_ 2 April
3 – TWG Innovation Workshop and Excursion 1-2 April 2025
4 – Pratical Information 1-2 April 2025
Photo Credits: Photo by Ilia Bronskiy (Pexels)