I(Acts whose publication is obligatory)REGULATION (EC) No 2152/2003 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCILof 17 November 2003concerning monitoring of forests and environmental interactions in the Community (Forest Focus)THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THEEUROPEAN UNION,Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com-munity, and in particular Article 175 thereof,Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic andSocial Committee (2),Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of theRegions (3),Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article251 of the Treaty (4),Whereas:(1) Forests have an important multifunctional role forsociety. Apart from their significant role in the develop-ment of rural areas, forests have a major value for natureconservation, play an important role in preserving theenvironment, are key elements of the carbon cycle andsignificant carbon sinks and represent a crit...