Brussels' rulebook is placing enormous strain on both the forest sector and land management more broadly, because it is chasing two goals that don't easily coexist: expanding nature protection and carbon capture, while still trying to keep the bioeconomy competitive. Two frameworks in particular drive this squeeze: the Green Deal, and the regulation covering land use, land-use change and forestry — known as LULUCF — which pushes for tighter harvesting limits. At the same time, wood remains indispensable as a renewable substitute for fossil-based materials in construction and energy. This built-in contradiction threatens the sector's growth and is steadily chipping away at its competitive edge.