European countries are developing timber construction in different ways and for different reasons. European Union institutions have expressed a political desire to see more wooden buildings, yet so far, there is no common (European) plan in this regard. Nevertheless, in certain EU regions, such as the German-speaking countries and the Nordic countries, the issue of harmonising disparate building regulations is being addressed through joint efforts.

It should be noted, however, that in the Nordic countries, greater emphasis is placed on, and thought given to, so-called "reducing the carbon footprint", rather than simply the use of wood in construction.