European forests are a steadily growing and dynamically evolving resource, serving climate, people and nature. Over the last decades, they have been managed sustainably, meeting European society’s growing demands for climate change mitigation, protection against natural hazards, recreational space, development of the bioeconomy and providing a home for biodiversity. It is, therefore, essential to ensure productive coordination and synergies among the various forest-related EU policies and to ensure that sustainable forest management and the multifunctional role of forests are given an appropriate role in this work.