The WoodPoP 4th High Level Meeting
October 15 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
WoodPoP Fourth High Level Meeting
Date and Time: Wednesday, 15 October 2025, 09:30 – 15:00 CEST
Venue: InnoRenew CoE, Livade 6a, 6310 Izola, Slovenia & Online (Hybrid)
Meeting Language: English
The European Wood Policy Platform (WoodPoP) will host its 4th High Level Meeting, bringing together delegations from Pan-European ministries, led by senior government officials such as Ministers, Secretaries of State, Director Generals, and Directors. The meeting will also welcome regional and stakeholder organisations, along with various observers.
This significant event will feature an exchange of views that will discuss how transdisciplinary measures can help to strengthen the wood-based sector and its contributions to a competitive, just and green Europe.
A particular focus will be laid on how training (within the sector) and re-training (within the sector to enhance the existing workers’ skills, educating and training sector-specific skills to attract workers from other sectors) can provide urgently needed new skills for the revitalisation of the sector.
Programme Overview
09:00 CEST Welcome coffee and registration*
09:30 CEST Opening of the Meeting
- Matjaž Han, Minister of the Economy, Tourism, and Sport of the Republic of Slovenia
- Norbert Totschnig, Federal Minister for Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management of the Republic of Austria (tbc)
09:50 CEST Key Note Speeches
- Keynote 1 – Lifelong learning and development of microcredentials in Slovenia, Urban Kodrič, State Secretary at the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Slovenia
- Keynote 2 – Strengthening exchange between relevant actors in policymaking and science, Prof. Dr. Daniela Kleinschmit, IUFRO President
10:30 CEST Item 1. Presentation of the Policy Brief
- ‘A skilled workforce in the wood-based sector to propel Europe towards a sustainable future’, Prof. Dr. Andreja Kutnar, InnoRenew CoE & University of Primorska (Slovenia)
10:40 CEST Coffee Break**
11:10 CEST Item 2. Exchange of Views
- chaired by: Georg Rappold, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management of Austria
12:10 CEST Item 3. Reports of Technical Working Groups’ Co-Leads
12:30 CEST Item 4. Updates from the WoodPoP Secretariat
- Updates from the WoodPoP Secretariat, Veronika Steinhofer-Juch, WoodPoP Secretariat
- Upcoming Meetings
- A European Wood Building Award
12:45 CEST Closing Remarks
- Georg Rappold, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management of Austria
- Darko Sajko, Ministry of the Economy, Tourism, and Sport of Slovenia
13:00 CEST Networking Lunch
The meeting will be moderated by Boštjan Romih.
Optional
15:00 CEST Meeting of the TWG Education & Vocational Training
17:00 CEST Meeting of the Informal Steering Group
19:00 CEST Dinner
*Bilateral meeting of ministers
**Statements for the press
Registration
Please check your inbox for the invitation with link to the registration form.
Kindly note that the registration is foreseen to close on 24 September 2025.
Meeting Documents
Photo credit: Miran Kambic