Key Benefits:
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DRAFT RESOLUTION NO. 201 /X
" DEFEND THE MOUNTED, CHERISH THE ROW OF THE CORK "
Exhibition of reasons
1-From the position of Portugal in the cork sector at the world level
It shows our historia, which already in the fourteenth century there was export of cork, and dated
already from the thirteenth century laws of protection to the overiro
Today, the cortician sector puts our Country in a world-wide, cymeeering place,
with about 54% percent of the production, and about 70% percent of the total world transformation.
From the transformed cork in the Country, about 90% is exported, representing recipes
of the order of the 850 annual MEuros, about 2.7% of the national total exports.
In the business plan, the cork sector means about 900 companies
transformers, while in the employment plan it represents about 12 a to 14000
manufacturing jobs manufactures direct, and more about 6500 seasonal jobs
in the extraction and other forest operations.
It should be noted, however, that the summit position that world the Country holds
currently in this area is not the final remnant of an inherited situation, but rather the
result of a response from the business sector, not least in the last four
decades.
In effect, of a country essentially producer and exporter of cork in state
raw, up to the sixties, Portugal passed, in a short period of time, the
turn practically all cork produced and even some imported.
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This remarkable evolution was the result of a bet on technological innovation in the
productive process, with reflection in the improvement of the quality of the corks and
in new products, but also in the modernization of management and a strong initiative
business in the sector, being today the companies adjusted to the logic of globalization,
which entails the ability to respond to a constantly evolving market and
increasingly demanding.
1.2-From the overter
The National Forest Inventory, recently presented, evidenced that in
terms of pure stands, dominant and young mists, the overlapping occupied, in
2005/6, the first national place in terms of forest areas, with 736,700 ha,
following himself the brave pine with 710,600 ha, and the eucalyptus with 646,700 ha.
By regions, the overiro is the first forest species in the NUT II-Alentejo, with
71.6%, at NUT II-Lisbon and Vale do Tejo, with 21.2%, and at the NUT II-Algarve, with
3.86% of the total.
Although the forest area occupied with overlap has grown over time, the
its current summit position stems from the devastating effect caused by the fires
in the stands of angry pine trees, which saw its geographical distribution
decrease from 976,100 ha to 710,600 ha, only in a decade.
But the riding of the sober is not simply a forest-producing space of
raw material, the cork. In reality, I have constituted an economic and social system
complex, which has contributed to the fixation of the rural population. Thousands of
small producers obtain, in addition to the extraction of cork, yields
complimentary with creation or fattening of the black pig, beef cattle and ovine,
of the hunt, the catch of mushrooms or aromatic herbs, of the production of honey and of
Waiting for medronho.
The overhead mounted is still the habitat of a unique fauna and flora, with species
protected.
If the species of the brave pine has suffered the tremendous impact of the fires
forest, over the overhead mounted weighs a no less devastating threat:
a set of diseases and various factors that is causing the
the weakness of the overwits, worrying levels of mortality, as well as a
decline in the yield of its production, which until now has not known
reassuring solutions for forest producers!
2-From the use of cork
The cork knows, today, very varied uses, ranging from the production of
stoppers (68%), civil construction (15%), the automotive industry (7%), and others, where if
includes both the fashion and the aviation and aerospace industry, in a total of 10%.
But notwithstanding the progress in diversification in terms of use of the
cork, the main use and viabilization of this row continues to be the production
of corks for wine bottling, and other drinks.
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In effect, it is a secular, historically documented reality, the strong relationship
between the production of cork and the production of wine.
The world wine market is still dominated by Europe, which holds about
half of the world vine area and consumes about 72% of the total production. The
current framework of this activity is currently characterized by the emergence of
new and important producers, in what is already designating "New Wine World",
expected that with the continuous internationalization of the market if it comes to
record an increase in global wine consumption by 2010.
In this framework, the market for the corks for the wine sector will continue to be, in a
near future, the main destination of our cork, being strategic to
research in the sense of whether to enable its application to new products of larger
value.
3-From the threats and challenges facing the sector
But this whole picture has, however, come to know growing threats to the
market of cork, and a worrying trend from the point of view of production
forest, already mentioned above.
Among the threats are aggressive commercial campaigns and movements in the
sense of the replacement of cork cork by corks and other synthetic sealants in the
bottling wine, which poses a serious risk to sustainability
economic and social of a sector that has its viability based justly on the
production of corks.
But, the threats also stem from internal difficulties associated with the fires
forest and a persistent decline of the overhead mounted.
This decline expresses itself in the continuing death of overs, loss of vigour
vegetative of many trees, and in the quantitative and qualitative decrease of cork
produced.
And this decrease in production, in quantity and quality, puts two
fundamental concerns.
The first translates into an availability of cork currently already lower than the
processing and export capacity of the industry, and the second translates
in a breach of the cork yield for the producers, which decreases their
ability to invest and improve its business in the future.
This situation, although the subject of many studies over time, does not have
found satisfactory global responses from the part of the scientific medium.
To this table add, in terms of the future, the likely negative effects of
climate change, which today concite, finally, the world's attentions.
But the warnings regarding cork have not been coming from national sources alone.
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In fact, over the years such concerns have been the subject of studies and
reports, including from the initiative of international ecologists organisations
unsuspecting as the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF), the Rainforest Alliance
or the Forest Stewardship, which have warned of the consequences deeply
troubling, from an economic, social and environmental point of view, of the reduction of
production of cork or of the forest area to it dedicated.
In short, it is not only facing a challenge constituted by the decline of the mounted
of overspin, translated into a quantitative and qualitative decrease of cork
as a raw material, as in the face of an economic and social challenge that can be
come to translate, in the future, by the economic non-viability of the extraction of cork if the
price to be paid for a lower quality cork not bearing extraction costs
growing louder, in the face of a productivity that has not evolved over the course of
decades.
It is absolutely imperative to find, and quickly, the identification of the
causes of the decline of the overlap and point out the solutions to combat it.
4-Of national responses
4.1 From the business fabric and associativism
In the internal plan, it is apparent that processing companies have modernized
its manufacturing processes and sought to diversify the products, while its
associations have been searching for even concerting strategies with companies and
Spanish associations.
In the plan of forest production, it is visible in many producers an own effort
of investment and initiative in the improvements of the management methods of the assembled.
However, although with different emphases, there are concerns on the side of the industry,
particularly with respect to the future of the conditions of forest production, and the side
of the forest producers there is a great deal of concern about the lack of results to the
level of research, and a concern with
the lack of consistency, consistency and continuity of policies in this area.
In the contacts with entrepreneurs, and their associations, no one has heard of the expected
claim or request for financial support, but a very clear feeling of
that the State has not acted as it demands the situation of world leader that the Country
holds in this economic sector.
A forest activity where the overiro starts the production of cork at 25-30
years and the return on investment occurs at 60-70, puts naturally
challenges that require a national, consistent, long-term strategy of
way to ensure conditions of sustainability and progress in a sector that has
a potential for production and export that can reach, in the future, twice as many of its
current values.
4.2 Of the research activity
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The research directed towards the transformation of cork has been supported by a
positive evolution in the response to market-induced innovation requirements,
having allowed an improvement in production processes, aiming to overcome
some limitations and problems detected and attributed to the use of the cork of
cork. This research has also produced astonishing results
relative to the most worth in terms of health, the environmental value of the production of the
cork and new applications.
It deserves prominence, for the negative symbolism of the situation, the fact that researchers and
national companies being awarded internationally for their effort of
research in the field of processing, and there is nothing similar in the
Country that is a world leader.
When we look at the research applied to the overlap, researchers and
forest producers recognize that the Country has known a systematic activity
up to the fifties, under the responsibility of the team led by the Engagement. Vieira
of the Nativity. With the stimulus of the given example, the name of this researcher has been
associated with an award instituted to highlight annually the best exploration
subericulture.
After that, of numerous projects financed by the public erarium and by funds
community, the research activity is dispersed, disconnected from
strategic objectives, and without palpable results, which leaves the producers
helpless and concerned in the face of the continued decline of the mounted.
In the meantime, the Government has already taken some steps towards structuring a
coordinated response in terms of research on the decline of the mounted.
In the framework of a profound change in the approach of the cork sector and its
problems, in a framework of reform of the Public Administration and mobilization of the
Society, it is important that temporal objectives are established, with challenges
mobilizers and holding accountable.
The bet on research must proceed, of course, also in the processing
of the cork.
Here the challenges are in the continuous improvement of the quality of the cork, with special
relief for the eradication of TCA contaminations (designated by " taste a
rolha "), the cork defect most referred to by the wine industry, but also from
innovation and diversification of products based on cork, with a view to achieving
high value-added products similar to the cork. Their use, by
example, in the isolation of dwellings with a view to the highest energy efficiency,
can and should constitute a challenge with multiple gains for the national economy,
but there is a need for there to be investments in fully innovative solutions,
some waiting for only concretization.
The ongoing technological innovation is expected to continue with the bet on
improvement of the processing methods of cork, so as to make them
less pollutants and more environmentally friendly.
Finally, effort in research should privilege the regions where if
concentrates the processing and forest production activity , in an optics
of fostering a closer cooperation between research and users.
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4.3-From the attitude of the Country
We cannot help but question ourselves, if in a Country with this heritage
privileged exists today a public attitude that considers it and values as if
warranted. And the conclusion does not present itself very heartening.
In effect, even though most Portuguese people have the perception that
Portugal is a world leader in the production and transformation of cork, the feeling is the
of which as an economic activity this cork sector appears as something that
drags on from the past and marked by an inexorable extinction destination, face to the
apparent signs of the progress that some associate with the replacement of cork by
alternative materials of synthetic origin.
For lack of adequate information and dissemination, they are few the Portuguese who
know and value the modern uses that cork already has, and its
potentials in a more demanding future in technological and environmental terms.
But, how can we develop external commercial campaigns in the sense of whether
promote the use of cork corks, when at the same time we have
national producers, of quality wine, which make use of synthetic sealants?
4.4-From the attitude of the State
As for the state, the main criticisms that are currently woven focus on the
absence of a public body or mechanism that would accompany and secure a
strategic attitude of the Country in this area. In this connection, it is to be reflected that the Strategy
National for Forests does not concretize a specific strategy for this
important forest row.
The research effort, manifestly has not obeyed a strategy
articulated and focussed on the solution of the current problems and challenges that are
placed to the future of this sector.
At the level of university education there is not a course, a master's degree, a
specialization or even a discipline, which are dedicated to cork.
It seems noticeable, today, that in an era where economies globalize, the
performance of states has to be rethought in such a way as to prevent unsettling
of the markets by the strength of the companies and world-scale groups lead to the
destruction of small-scale economic activities, and whose sustainability already
cannot be ensured by the traditional game of the market.
In some regions of countries such as Spain and Italy, measures have been taken
legislative proposals that recommend the use of cork stoppers in the bottling of
wines, and in some cases, they force such use, when it deals with wines with
controlled designation of origin (DOC).
As it easily found, such measures did not specifically target the defence of the
cork, but the defence of branded wines from these countries. But it becomes apparent,
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however, that in doing so, those countries considered that cork was a factor of
qualification of wine, and who have not hesitated to act in the interests of the respective
savings.
Despite the national wine consuming only 3% of the corks produced, such a fact does not
should constitute an argument for not associating national quality wines with
use of cork as a sealant.
Portugal today has a new community funding framework that has
important resources planned for the innovation sector and development
of the national forest, as well as of instruments to use them rationally,
particularly to achieve targets such as those relating to cork.
Within the framework of the QREN, support measures are planned for the constitution of Pólos de
Regional competitiveness, in turn provided for in the Technological Plan.
These are clusters of companies, laboratories, technological centres and
educational institutions, of a particular region, with the aim of promoting a
set of complementary economic activities.
The poles of competitiveness can have a local, national or global vocation and the
its development will be supported through various policies at the level of the
training, marketing, networking, instruments of merger between
companies and fostering innovation.
Its launch calls for an interministerial coordination of policies and actors in a
new national framework for governance of innovation.
This measure, which inspires itself in diverse experiments carried out in several
european countries, it must, however, be appropriate to the nature and challenges of the sector of
cork, with two well-distinct, but interconnected components that are the production
forest and the transformation of cork, each with dynamics and problems
own.
In this framework, going to meet the expectations of companies, from producers
forest, and their associations, the universities and researchers, the
Government has the historic opportunity to contribute decisively to the creation of
a Cluster or of a Competitiveness Pole for the cork industry.
In parallel, it feels the urgent need for a national observatory for
the overiro.
On the other hand, the existence of cork-producing countries, and facing challenges
similar, opens up opportunity, and invites, to international cooperation.
It should be noted, in this purpose, that Portugal celebrated with Spain, in 6 of
April 2003, a " Memorandum of Cooperation on the Forest Species of the
Superiro and the Azinheira ", which he did not, however, meet, major developments
up to this date.
In conclusion, conditions are gathered, perhaps unrepeatable, so that the Country if
organize, in a sectoral and territorial perspective, and prepare to defend and
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to value not only a historical, cultural, economic and social heritage, as
an activity of vital importance for the future.
5-Of the new allies of the cause of cork
Alongside the persistent effort of individualities and national institutions, entities
idogenous international, linked to environmental research, attest to odd nature
of the cork's productive system in terms of the environmental sustainability of its
production, contributing to the maintenance of biodiversity, for the fixation of
CO2, for the protection of soils against erosion, for the increase in the rate of
infiltration of the rainwater, and well still, through employment, to the
economic and social sustainability of the poorest regions, helping in that way
to combat the phenomenon of desertification.
At the beginning of a new millennium, marked already clearly by an attention and
growing ecological and environmental concerns on the side of consumers, to which
start to answer some governments, the production of cork gains, thus, new and
significant valiant, and potential allies for a more promising future.
6-A national cause and a cause of future
The cork and its valences in economic, social and environmental matters, make it,
therefore, a good with future.
Sustaining and strengthening the Country's position in this sector should constitute a cause
national around which the Portuguese can mobilize.
The Portuguese has already shown that they mobilise around causes and of
national or solidarity objectives (see the case of Timor).
In an increasingly competitive world on a global scale, no developed country
can waste an opportunity to be a world leader, be it in sport, in the
science, in culture or in economics. The situation Portugal holds in this sector
should constitute an important contribution to the strengthening of national self-esteem, and,
consequently, for stimulation of progress in other areas.
Hence, defend the Portuguese forest, and within it the superman as tree
emblematic of the national forest, can constitute a mobilizing cause, because it is
fair, it is in future, and in it we will count on many real and potential allies at the scale
european and world wide.
This cause can be assumed by the civil society if correctly disclosed,
starting with schools, in a process that associates the defence of the over-the-
enhancement of the multifunctionality of the assembled and other concerns of
environmental and social nature. Surely the Portuguese will know to contribute to
the defence of the overlap and cork, specifically preferring the consumption of
wines using cork as a sealant, and other products derived from cork.
6.1-From the role of the Assembly of the Republic
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Much though the present challenge, in general, the Portuguese society,
particular responsibilities fit the main economic players in the industry
and of the forest sector, research and teaching, and the authorities. And in this
process, the Government competes in the initiative of the mobilization of these agents,
ensuring that it is concerted and taken up a national strategy concerning the
row of cork, with the necessary resources allocated to research and incentive
to innovation on all fronts of the sector.
When deciding to constitute one the Working Group " DEFEND THE MOUNTED,
VALUING THE ROW OF THE CORK " , the Assembly of the Republic gave a
first step in the sense of studying and determining the nature and extent of your
participation in the effort that the Country comes to dedicate to this cause.
In passing the present Draft Resolution, the Assembly of the Republic
will take on a decisive political commitment.
Such a commitment means:
contribute to the cork taking on a national priority mobilising the Portuguese and the various actors.
to continue and deepen, through the already constituted Working Group, contact with the sector, so as to promote other initiatives,
including legislative, which may be useful to this cause.
Follow up, through the Permanent Specialized Committees connected to the Economy, Agriculture, Science and Teaching, the Government's action in the
concretization of the recommendations of the Present Resolution,
particularly in the definition of a strategy for the sector, its
term targets, whether in the field of expansion of production and
export,
be in the diversification and promotion of cork products, or
in combating the decline of the mounted.
As a result, it should be appreciated annually, in Plenary, a
report of progress on these objectives.
Thus, heard representatives from all these areas, the deputies undersigned
present the following,
PROPOSAL
The Assembly of the Republic deliberates, in the constitutional and regimental terms
applicable, propose to the Government that:
1º Dynamize the constitution of a Cluster or Competitiveness Pole in the area
processing, and a National Observatory for the Mounted and for cork,
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that are appropriate to the underpinning of a national strategy of
development of the sector.
2º Proceed to the surveying and evaluation of all R&D projects, in
course, of public and private initiative, with a view to coordination and
rationalization of all means, specifically human resources,
materials and financial involved.
3º Equacione supports for the creation of awards to be awarded annually to
personalities or institutions, whose scientific activity, or of other nature,
directly contribute to the safeguarding and dissemination of the assembled, of its
products, specifically from cork.
4º Reforce and articulate the materials pertaining to the overiro and the azinion in the frame
of the National Plan to Fight Against Desertification and drought.
5º Adjustment to the National Strategy for Forests and the Development Plan
Rural, in terms of priorities and allocation of resources, to the importance
strategic recognized and attributed to the surmounted surmounted.
6º Support the introduction, at the level of teaching, of disciplines or even of courses,
related to cork.
7º Reinforce vocational training in the activities connected to the management of the
mounted, and to the extraction and processing of cork.
8º Adopt measures that promote the use, on the labels of the bottles of
wine, from the symbol relating to cork-CORK ®, developed following
an international initiative coordinated by Portugal, with support from the FAO, and
already registered internationally.
9º Assess and use all possibilities for articulation and cooperation
international in the defence of cork, as the product of a European ecosystem and
single Mediterranean.
10º Promoting the speedy realization of the " Luso-Spanish Observatory of
Accompaniment of the stands of Sobreiro and Azinheira ".
Palace of S. Bento, April 18, 2007
The Deputies