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Association National Voluntary Forest Certification System publicly announces and notifies stakeholders about the suspension of the process of revisioning of the standard UA SFM ST 02 Sustainable Forest Management. General provisions under the PEFC system

Background and Context

Starting in 2026, PEFC International will begin a system revision, with a focus on the Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) benchmark standard (ST 1003).

In this context, PEFC International provides National Governing Bodies with the possibility to request to postpone the start of their national  system revision until the SFM benchmark standard (ST 1003) revision process has been completed at the international level.

A postponement may be granted if all the following conditions are met:

• The national SFM standard must be updated to ST 1003:2024 regarding EUDR.
• The national system revision must be carried out exclusively using the future revised international documentation.
• The national  revision process must start no later than three months after the finalisation of the revised SFM benchmark standard (ST 1003), or its future equivalent.

Extraordinary revisions (such as adjustments related to the EUDR or changes in national legislation) are excluded from this postponement mechanism.

The Association "National Voluntary Forest Certification System", as the PEFC National Governing Body, made a decision and began the process of revision the forest management standard on June 23, 2025 (before PEFC International announced the revision of the system) and has not yet gone through the full procedure according to the standard UA SFM ST 01:2020 Procedure for Development, Approval, Revision of the Forest Management Standard in Ukraine, which allows you to submit a request to postpone the start of the revision of the NVFCS.

Additionally, PEFC International has adopted a decision to limit further development of national standards for Trees Outside Forests (TOF) pending feedback from national systems that already have such standards endorsed.

Furthermore, a number of legislative changes in the environmental protection and forestry sectors are expected in Ukraine.

Taking into account the above circumstances, the Association has decided to suspend the revision process of the standard UA SFM ST 02 Sustainable Forest Management. General Provisions and submit a formal request to PEFC International for the postponement of the national system revision process.

Action Plan for Maintaining and Developing NVFCS

1. A technical document will be developed to ensure alignment with ST 1003:2024 in relation to EUDR, based on best practices from other national systems.
2. Procedures for excluding areas contaminated by explosives from the scope of certification, which were included in the draft forest management standard in the ongoing update process, will be transferred to the guidance for implementing the current forest management standard.
3. If there is an urgent need to make changes to the forest management standard due to changes in national legislation, this will be done in accordance with clause 9.3 “Time-critical revision of the standard” of the UA SFM ST 01:2020 Procedure for Development, Approval, Revision of the Forest Management Standard in Ukraine.
4. The validity of all system documentation will be extended until the next system revision is completed.
5. Comments and suggestions from stakeholders received during the first public discussion of the forest management standard in the unfinished process of its update will be taken into account when implementing clauses 1-3 of this Action Plan and during the next system revision.

Stakeholder Engagement

We hope for the support of all stakeholders in the further development and improvement of the National Voluntary Forest Certification System.

We inform you that any legal entity or individual can provide their comments regarding the procedures and documentation of the system.

 

Contact details:

Association National Voluntary Forest Certification System

Address: Ukraine, 49044, Dnipro, Starokozatska Street, 5.

Contact person: Executive Director of the Association Alla Oborska

Telephones: +38 097 556-53-35, +38 093 110-04-89

E-mail: info@pefcukraine.com.