The 10th Interim Meeting of the REAWG on Sustainable Forest Management brought together regional experts to discuss priorities and common challenges for future cooperation in the Western Balkans from 2026.
Ms. Bogdanka Gjorshoska Leveska, SWG Senior Project Manager, officially opened the meeting and provided an overview of the meeting objectives and expected outcomes. She further presented the report and follow-up from the 9th Interim Meeting held in Durrës, Albania, and initiated the discussion.
Mr. Manfred Fischer (GFA Consulting Group) addressed the ongoing alignment with EU acquis related to sustainable forest management. He emphasized the importance of understanding each country’s current position and identifying the common elements that can guide regional efforts.
Regional expert Mr. Nenad Petrović highlighted that all EU acquis chapters relevant to forestry are being addressed across the region. He underlined that the degree of alignment varies by country, making it crucial to monitor progress and timelines closely. He also stressed the need to define top priorities through a detailed analysis, including potential gaps in Chapter 27 (Environment and Climate Change), particularly where implementation challenges and cross-cutting issues may arise.
Mr. Torsten Möllmann, Head of the Services Division at HessenForst, shared insights from the German experience with EU environmental and climate policies related to forests. He noted that Germany’s situation differs from other countries, as forestry is often less visible within the EU agenda. Despite this, a key unifying point across all EU countries is the active management of forests. He also pointed out the existence of data gaps and inconsistencies in terminology, which can affect policy harmonization.
The discussion underscored the need for continued cooperation, targeted gap analysis, and improved data harmonization to support the region’s alignment with EU requirements and advance sustainable forest management.
Appointed national experts exchange views in regard to the definition of priorities and common issues for regional cooperation in the WBs as of 2026:
1st Presentation_Definition of priorities for regional cooperation_Albania
1st Presentation Definition of priorities for regional cooperation_BIH FBIH
1st Presentation_BDV in SFM policies and practices_Republic of Srpska
1st Presentation_Definition of priorities for regional cooperation_Kosovo
1st Presentation_Definition of priorities for regional cooperation-Montenegro
1st Presentation_Definition of priorities for regional cooperation_Serbia
Following discussion experts presented topic related to integrating climate change adaptation into sustainable forest management policies and practices in their respective countries/territories:
2nd Presentation_CCA in SFM policies and practicies_Albania
2nd Presentation CCA in SFM policies and practicies_BIH FBIH
2nd Presentation_CCA in SFM_policies and practicies_Republic of Srpska
2nd Presentation_CCA in SFM policies and practicies_Kosovo
2nd Presentation _CCA in SFM policies and practicies_North Macedonia
2nd Presentation_CCA in SFM policies and practicies_Montenegro
2nd Presentation_CCA in SFM policies and practicies_Serbia
Presentation and discussion on the development of regional guidelines for forest biodiversity monitoring and improvement:
3rd Presentation_FB_monitoring improvement_Albania
3rd Presentation BiH FBIH FB monitoring improvement
3rd Presentation_BDV in SFM_policies and practicies_Republica Srpska
3rd Presentation_FB monitoring improvement_Kosovo
3rd Presentation_FB_monitoring improvement_North Macedonia
3rd Presentation_FB monitoring improvement_Montenegro
3rd Presentation_FB monitoring improvement_Serbia
Mr. Volker Sasse, Team Leader of the forestry project in Ukraine, presented a Comprehensive Analysis of the Requirements for the Forestry Sector in the Context of the EU Accession Process. He highlighted several key needs for the forestry sector:
Prioritizing forest protection, including safeguarding biodiversity and enhancing resilience to climate change.
Ensuring timber supply and supporting rural employment, driven by market opportunities and the need for economic recovery.
Maintaining tax contributions to the state budget, reflecting the sector’s continued economic relevance.
Forest Policy related activities in Ukraine
The meeting concluded with:
A discussion on the framework for forest-related methodologies, emphasizing the harmonization of data reporting, policy structures, and relevant legislation at both regional and international levels.
A review of the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the new APD Sustainable Forest Management project, including its objectives, scope, key deliverables, and roles, presented by Ms. Bogdanka Gjorshoska Leveska, SWG Senior Project Manager.
A summary and final definition of the framework and outline for strengthened regional cooperation moving forward.
The activity is supported within the APD project Germany-Southeast Europe.
