Romanian Forest Owners Call for Forests to Be Recognized as Strategic Infrastructure in the EU Post-2027 Budget

ASFOR – the Romanian Forest Owners Association, together with WWF Romania and more than 75 organizations from across the country, is urging the Government of Romania to take a clear and firm stance during the June EU negotiations, advocating for the recognition of forests as essential natural infrastructure and a strategic pillar of the European Union’s post-2027 budget.

This appeal was officially submitted to the Romanian Executive through the Manifesto "Forests – A Central Pillar of Future Green Investments in Europe", supported by entities representing over 200,000 citizens – including forest owners, academic institutions, local authorities, NGOs, civic groups, and economic stakeholders in the forestry sector.

Romania Has a Unique Opportunity

Addressed to Interim Prime Minister Cătălin Predoiu and relevant ministries, the manifesto highlights that Romania possesses significant forested areas, an active forestry community, and strong technical expertise—factors that fully justify the call for a dedicated EU funding line for forests.

Such support should reflect the critical role of forests in biodiversity protection, carbon sequestration, disaster prevention, and the sustainable development of rural communities.

As EU institutions define the political and financial priorities for 2028–2034, Romania has the chance to actively shape the EU budget architecture. However, this requires that forests become a publicly assumed, strategic priority in Europe’s green transition.

Political and Institutional Support at the EU Level

The Manifesto is further backed by the European Parliament’s Resolution on Forest Policy, which explicitly calls for the “identification of dedicated funds to support foresters and farmers in the climate transition and nature conservation.”

MEP Victor Negrescu, Vice-President of the European Parliament, expressed his support during the conference "Forests – A Pillar of Green Investments", reaffirming the pivotal role forests play in the future of the European Green Deal.

What Do We Specifically Request?

The signatories of the Manifesto are calling for:

• Recognition of forests as strategic infrastructure for the European Union;
• Dedicated EU funding for sustainable forest management, climate adaptation, and the development of a forest-based bioeconomy;
• Support for green investments in rural forested areas;
• Fair compensation for the ecosystem services provided by forests.

No Dedicated Funding Means No Real Protection

Although forests cover over 43.5% of the EU's territory, they still receive insufficient and poorly aligned financial support, given their strategic importance for climate resilience, biodiversity, and economic sustainability.

Romania particularly feels the lack of a functional national or EU mechanism to support conservation efforts and to stimulate investment in sustainable forest management.

Statement by ASFOR President, Ciprian Dumitru Muscă: