FAO, FSC Ukraine, WWF-Ukraine and IPRSA initiated and organised the forum “Impact of the EUDR in Ukraine: Prospects and Risks”, which took place on 22 March in Kyiv.
In the first session, the participants considered the importance of the EUDR in the system of European legislation and the European Green Deal political initiative, and assessed its possible impact on countries outside the EU.
The second session covered the practical aspects of applying the EUDR, taking into account current forest management and conservation practices, protection of biodiversity and forest ecosystems, the state of digitalisation of forestry, and the development of the woodworking industry in relation to the forestry sector.
The main results of the forum are:
1. There is a demand from business and the public for an operational plan for the implementation of the EUDR, and therefore for closer coordination of the relevant government agencies of Ukraine with the European Commission.
2. Adaptation of the forestry sector of Ukraine's economy to the requirements of the EUDR requires further harmonisation of national legislation with the EU strategy, policies and legal requirements, including common approaches to the definition of basic forestry terms.
3. Implementation of the EUDR requirements is a powerful motivating factor for improving the management and governance system in the forest sector to prevent deforestation and forest degradation, as well as to strengthen legal liability.
4. Voluntary instruments, in particular those proposed by FSC, are a solid basis for Ukraine's further integration into the global
5. The formation of a competitive and transparent institutional environment will facilitate the maximum use of opportunities from the implementation of EUDR by the forestry sector of Ukraine and ensure preventive forest protection.
6. Effective interaction between supply chain participants and other stakeholders in assessing and mitigating risks in the traceability of forest products is a prerequisite for proper confirmation of the absence of deforestation and forest degradation.
The Forum was only the first step towards adapting Ukraine's forestry sector to the EUDR. The need for a follow-up, practically oriented event to facilitate the implementation of the EUDR, taking into account the interests of the various target groups represented at the forum, is already evident.
26 мар 2024
