39 Countries on 6 continents represented, AF&PA's Moore elected first President WASHINGTON, DC - July 23, 2002 -- Trade associations in 39 countries representing industries accounting for 75 percent of the world's paper and more than 50 percent of the world's wood production recently announced the formal establishment of its first-ever global association, the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA), to work together on issues affecting forest and paper producers around the world. The ICFPA is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to working with other stakeholders to ensure that environmental, social and economic benefits of our natural resources are available to current and future generations. The members elected W. Henson Moore, President and CEO of the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), to serve as ICFPA's first president for the term 2002-2004. "This is an important step for the global forest products community," said ICFPA President W. Henson Moore. "Through the ICFPA, forest and paper associations from around the world will have the opportunity to work together on the global stage." The main goal of the ICFPA is to serve as a forum for joint action in areas ranging from communications to data collection. ICFPA members will also cooperate on international matters and develop and promote common positions. ICFPA will represent the industry in multilateral organizations, and is launching a website at http://www.icfpa.org. "Most other industries have a group like this so the industry can speak with one voice on international issues before the UN and other international bodies," said Moore. "Our industry has traditionally been a close partner with national governments in addressing some of the globe's most pressing problems, such as illegal logging and climate change. With the International Council, we can now bring those efforts together and focus our collective efforts on global action." Forest and paper association leaders from around the world have been meeting informally as a Forum to discuss issues of common interest since 1996. Marie S. Arwidson, Director General of the Confederation of European Paper Industries and Chairman of the Forum in 2000-2001 said, "We believe the ICFPA can be a valuable partner to international organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)." As its first official act, the group adopted a position statement against illegal logging. Also, Moore will head a group of ICFPA member organizations participating in the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa this August. The organizations listed on the following page have signed the Memorandum of Understanding establishing ICFPA: Organizations signing MOU to create the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations * American Forest & Paper Association * Forest Products Association of Canada * Confederation of European Paper Industries representing: Austria: AUSTROPAPIER - Vereinigung der Österreichischen Papierindustrie Belgium: COBELPA - Association des Fabricants de Pâtes, Papiers et Cartons de Belgique Czech Republic: SPPaC - Svaz Prumyslu Papíru a Celulózy Denmark: Danish Paper, Board and Pulp Makers Association Finland: FFIF - Finnish Forest Industries Federation France: COPACEL - Confédération de l'Industrie Française des Papiers, Cartons et Celluloses Germany: VDP - Verband Deutscher Papierfabriken Hungary : Federation of Hungarian Printers Italy: ASSOCARTA - Associazione Italiana fra gli Industriali della Carta, Cartoni e Paste per Carta Ireland: Jefferson Smurfit Group/ Irish Paper Association Netherlands: VNP - Vereniging van Nederlandse Papier- en kartonfabrieken Norway: PIL - Prosessindustriens Landsforening Portugal: CELPA - Associação da Indústria Papeleira Slovak Republic: ZCPP SR - Union of Pulp and Paper Industry of the Slovak Republic Spain: ASPAPEL -Asociación Nacional de Fabricantes de Pastas, Papel y Cartón Sweden: SFIF - Swedish Forest Industries Federation Switzerland: ZPK - Verband der Schweizerischen Zellstoff-, Papier-und Kartonindustrie United Kingdom: The Paper Federation of Great Britain * Bracelpa — Brazilian Pulp and Paper Association * Associación Nacional De Industria (Columbia) * Japan Paper Association · Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa * Malaysia Pulp and Paper Manufacturers Association * Australian Paper Industry Council * New Zealand Forest Industries Council * Thai Pulp and Paper Industry Association * Federation des Industries Forestieres des Arts Graphiques et de l'Emballage (Morocco) * Association of Polish Papermakers * Confederation of Assoc., Enterprises and Organizations of the Forestry Industrial Complex of the North-Western Federal Area (Russia) * Corporacion Chilena de la Madera (Chile) * Camara Nacional de las Industrias de la Celulosa y del Papel (Mexico) * Confederación Industrial de la Celulosa y del Papel Lationamericana (Latin America)