Supporting the legal and deforestation-free trade in timber products in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine

Forest Management Skills enhancement

  • Asia
  • Armenia • Georgia • Moldova • Ukraine

ONF International • 2023-2025

Context

The EU4Environment programme supports the countries of the Eastern Partnership in preserving their natural capital and transitioning to sustainable growth. Within this framework, the project aims to combat illegal logging, strengthen the conditions for legal and transparent trade, and support alignment with European regulations, in particular the future legislation on deforestation-free products. By addressing forest degradation and improving traceability and trade systems, the initiative helps to protect biodiversity, secure the livelihoods of local communities and promote sustainable development in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

Activities carried out

  • Preparation of a regional reference document analysing the impact of European regulations on deforestation-free products for Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, accompanied by recommendations to facilitate compliance.
  • Production of a regional document on sustainable forest management and legal timber trade in Armenia, Georgia and Moldova.
  • Organisation of a regional workshop in Yerevan (Armenia) on timber traceability systems, compliance with European regulations on deforestation and strengthening forest governance in the Eastern Partnership countries.
  • Armenia: Drafting of a report including recommendations for sustainable forest management, guidelines for certification and proposals for integrating innovative technologies into forest management.
  • Georgia: preparation of a detailed report on the implementation of forest certification and facilitation of round tables with stakeholders.
  • Moldova: preparation of two reports on sustainable forest management and legal timber trade, as well as recommendations for the technical specifications of a web platform dedicated to the tracking of forest products.

The project in figures

1 Report

Traceability of forest products

1 Support

Design of a digital platform for the control and marketing of forest products

1 Study

Feasibility of forest certification in Georgia

4 States

Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine

24

Digital platform for 24 forestry companies of Moldsilva

Project details

Regional and national support to Armenia, Georgia and Moldova, combining policy analysis, certification support, digital traceability solutions and capacity-building actions to consolidate sustainable forest management, improve timber trade controls and support compliance with European regulations on deforestation-free supply chains.

©ONF International

Final workshop of the project on timber traceability and compliance with the European regulation on deforestation. Yerevan, Armenia, 23–24 October 2025

©Eric Prosii

Working with Moldsilva on the existing forest product traceability system

©ONF International

Forest products platform developed as part of the project

©ONF International

Moldsilva platform dedicated to forest products, designed as part of the project

https://des.gov.ge/

Beech trees illegally felled in Omalo (Akhmeta municipality)

©Eric Prosii

Regeneration operations in mixed oak forests owned by the Soroca company, Republic of Moldova

The main phases of the project

1

Regional analysis and harmonisation

2

Capacity building and regional coordination

3

Country-specific technical support

4

Development of operational tools

5

Design of a digital platform for tracking and marketing forest products in Moldova

6

Coordination, supervision and production of deliverables

Expected results

  • Strengthening of timber trade systems without deforestation.
  • Improved compliance with European regulations.
  • Development and optimisation of monitoring and traceability tools.
  • Support for sustainable forest management in partner countries.
  • Support for legal timber trade in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
Budget
400 000 €
Partners
SOLUTON Armenia, CENN Georgia, BIOTICA Republic of Moldova
Beneficiaries
Forestry and environmental authorities; National forestry companies, particularly operators involved in sustainable forest management and legal timber production.
Donor
The World Bank, EU4Environment

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