For the first time since joining the European Union, “The Forest” has managed to mobilize the highest number of voices from Romania in a European public consultation exercise. With 429 completed questionnaires – more than Germany, France, and Austria – Romania ranked first in Europe in the consultation on the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework.
This result reflects an important aspect for our country: although Romania does not have a well-established culture of participation in such democratic processes, it has shown that when the stakes are high – the forests – Romanians can speak clearly, firmly, and with one voice.
Following the event „Forests, a Central Pillar of the Future of Green Investments in Europe”, joint efforts were made to inform and mobilize the public with the goal of supporting fair and adequate funding for forests. This funding must align with the real needs and concrete efforts of local communities, forest owners, and stakeholders involved in nature conservation, sustainable forest management, and the development of a circular forest bioeconomy.
The voice of the Romanian people sent an unequivocal message: forests must be recognized as a strategic sector for climate resilience, competitiveness, ecological transition, and economic development.
Romanians called for a fair and differentiated approach, with dedicated financial allocations for climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation, compensation for protection efforts, and support for a sustainable forest-based bioeconomy.
We thank all those who got involved. Together, we have shown that Romania’s voice matters. It is a strong signal to European decision-makers that forests must become a clear priority in the future EU budget.
