The European Commission is preparing the reform of climate rules for forests after 2030

The European Commission is preparing proposals on national climate targets and flexibility mechanisms for the period after 2030, in which it will prioritize forest resilience and the economic viability of the forestry sector. Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra presented this direction on October 15, 2026, following a dialogue with forest owners and the pulp and paper industry. The meeting did not adopt new rules for the period after 2030.

In brief, the Commission is preparing to reform the post-2030 climate framework, with a focus on forest resilience and investment. Existing LULUCF obligations remain applicable, including the EU target of 310 million tonnes of net CO₂-equivalent removals in 2030. Carbon certification requires an applicable methodology, a recognized scheme, and activity verification; revenues are not guaranteed. The meeting did not establish new rules for after 2030 or funding for Romania; the LULUCF assessment is scheduled for the end of 2026.

The dialogue brought together organizations representing forest owners, state forest managers, and the paper industry, along with companies such as Stora Enso and Metsä Group. Representatives of Commissioners Jessika Roswall, responsible for the environment, water resilience, and the circular economy, and Christophe Hansen, responsible for agriculture and food, also participated. The list published by the Commission does not include nature conservation organizations.

Participants called for predictable rules for investments spanning decades and for fires, pests, and other natural disturbances to be taken better into account. They presented the selection of species suited to the site, diversity in tree ages, and thinning operations as ways to support forest health. The effects of these practices depend on local conditions and how they are implemented.

The current European regulation on land use, land-use change, and forestry, known by the English acronym LULUCF, already establishes a European target for 2030 of 310 million tonnes of net CO₂-equivalent removals and obligations for member states. These remain applicable. The framework covers the entire land sector, including forests, agricultural land, grasslands, and wetlands. The European target does not concern forests exclusively.

The Commission’s 2025 report on progress in climate action indicates net removals of approximately 198 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in the LULUCF sector in 2023, 15 million tonnes more than in 2022. This improvement did not reverse the decline of the past decade. The report links the trend to increased timber harvesting, slower forest growth, and the effects of climate change, including fires, drought, and pests.

Another component is the voluntary European framework for certifying permanent carbon removals, carbon farming, and carbon storage in products, known as CRCF. Carbon farming includes land-management practices that increase carbon storage in soil and vegetation or reduce soil emissions. Certification is intended to measure and verify the climate benefits of activities, not merely ownership of a forest.

On July 9, 2026, the Commission adopted methodologies for carbon farming and agroforestry on mineral soils, the rewetting and restoration of peatlands and other organic soils, and afforestation. The adoption of a methodology is distinct from its entry into force and from the recognition of certification schemes. Certifying an activity requires an applicable methodology in force, a scheme recognized by the Commission, and verification by a certification body. At the October meeting, the methodology for managing existing forests was still presented as being under preparation.

Certification may help owners and managers attract investment or obtain payments for verifiable results. Revenues, however, depend on the activity’s eligibility, the costs of implementation and monitoring, the existence of buyers, and contractual terms. The voluntary framework does not automatically grant subsidies to owners and does not guarantee a price for stored carbon.

Participants also supported the proposal to integrate permanent removals into the EU Emissions Trading System, ETS, in the context of the revision proposed by the Commission in July 2026. The discussion concerns technologies such as the capture and storage of biogenic carbon and the direct capture of CO₂ from the air followed by durable storage. These processes differ from carbon storage through tree growth. The support expressed at the meeting does not introduce forest certificates into the ETS.

For Romania, the key issue is how future policy will affect climate planning, risk management, and incentives for investment in forestry. LULUCF obligations are assessed at the state level and across all land categories covered by the regulation. The meeting announcement does not indicate a new removal quota for each owner, a payment per hectare, or a financial allocation for Romania.

The Commission’s assessment of the LULUCF regulation, scheduled for the end of 2026, is expected to contribute to preparing the post-2030 framework. Future proposals will show how the rules can be adapted to forestry’s long cycles and climate risks.