Pavloska Gjorgjieska: We are seeing positive developments in the A-B region

Dori Pavloska Gjorgjieska is a Process Portfolio Manager in FSC International based in Bonn, Germany. In May this year she was a part of the third Regional FSC® Stakeholder’s Meeting held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, an event important for sharing the best responsible management practices among the forestry sector and driving sustainability of forest value chains forward in the Adria-Balkan region. 

For two days, over 40 forestry experts, distinguished academia members, representatives of institutions and nongovernment organizations, as well as other professionals gathered to discuss the importance of FSC certification for the Adria-Balkan region.

Regional FSC® Stakeholder’s Meeting – a valuable platform for open dialogue 

Pavloska Gjorgjieska says that the regional event in Sarajevo clearly demonstrated how FSC certification had contributed to stronger forest governance, enhanced environmental and social safeguards, and more balanced approaches that integrate ecological, economic, and societal needs. 

"The meeting provided a valuable platform for open and constructive dialogue. Stakeholders shared practical experiences, reflected on achievements, and discussed remaining challenges that continue to shape the sector. This exchange is essential to ensure that both successes and lessons learned translate into more effective and coordinated actions going forward.

A key takeaway for me was the strong sense of regional alignment. Countries facing similar challenges came together around a shared objective—to protect and sustainably manage their forest resources. By fostering cross-border dialogue, the event reinforced the importance of regional cooperation and highlighted FSC’s role as a unifying framework for advancing sustainability across forest supply chains”, she adds.

As a part of her expertise, she talked about the revision of the FSC Procedure for the Development and Revision of Country Requirements, which represents an important step toward a more efficient, flexible, and impact-oriented system. FSC country requirements include two key instruments: Forest Stewardship Standards and Risk Assessments, and the revised procedure applies to both.

Pavloska Gjorgjieska says that looking ahead to next year, there are a few important changes worth highlighting. 

"One of them is the introduction of three types of processes, which allow countries to choose what works best depending on their context and urgency: Chamber-balanced process; Technical process – a simplified approach involving a Technical Working Group (TWG), applied where a full chamber-balanced process is not feasible; and Accelerated process – designed for urgent or administrative updates, where timely action is critical to maintaining FSC integrity and credibility. In countries with an FSC Network Partner, this organization will take the lead across all these processes, which strengthens ownership at the national level.

The procedure also introduces clear steps and shorter, more structured timelines, improving predictability and accountability. A new conceptual phase at the beginning ensures that scope, objectives, and expected outcomes are clearly defined from the outset.
Importantly, there is a stronger focus on outcomes—ensuring that requirements are practical and deliver tangible environmental, social, and economic impact. A more systematic risk-based approach will also help prioritize critical issues and allocate efforts where they matter most. Overall, these changes aim to make the system more flexible, efficient, and outcome-oriented”, she adds.

Important developments underway in the Adria Balkan region

Pavloska Gjorgjieska explains that the FSC Risk Assessments evaluate the risk that wood and other forest-based materials originate from unacceptable sources within a given supply area. She points out that they look at risks like illegal harvesting, violations of traditional and human rights, or harvesting that causes serious environmental damage. 

"Their core purpose is to support responsible sourcing decisions by providing a transparent and evidence-based assessment of risks at the national level. FSC Risk Assessments are widely used by different stakeholder groups. For example, companies that want to participate in FSC Mix supply chains rely on them to ensure that non-certified material is responsibly sourced; businesses aligning with regulatory frameworks, such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), use them as a key input for their risk-based due diligence; investors use FSC Risk Assessments to make informed, responsible investment decisions across different markets; NGOs and other stakeholders use them to better understand sourcing risks and engage on sustainability issues.

Looking at the situation in the Adria-Balkan region, we are seeing important and positive developments. Croatia and Slovenia already have FSC Risk Assessments in place, and these are currently under revision in line with the new FSC Risk Assessment Framework. A new Risk Assessment is under development for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in Serbia, we expect to launch the development process in the near future. Overall, the region is progressing steadily, with both updates to existing assessments and new developments underway. This is particularly important in the current context, as expectations around legality, sustainability, and due diligence continue to increase—both from regulators and from the market”, she adds.

The development of the Forest Stewardship Standard for North Macedonia is coming by the end of the year

Our speaker comes from N. Macedonia, a small country in our region but with 40% of its area covered by forests. Since last year a team of consultants have been working on developing the Forest Stewardship Standard for this country and now Pavloska Gjorgjieska shares that by the end of 2026, N. Macedonia will have the new Standard ready.

"The development of the Forest Stewardship Standard for North Macedonia is progressing very well and is currently in its final stage. Following the first draft and the stakeholder consultation held last November, the process has continued with further refinements, incorporating feedback from a broad range of stakeholders. At this point, we expect the standard to be finalized and published by the end of this year. This is an important milestone for the country, as it will enable the implementation of FSC’s robust forest management framework in North Macedonia. In practical terms, this means establishing a standard that ensures environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the Macedonian forests”, she shares with us the latest FSC news on this important development for the country.