New Interim Forest Stewardship Standard for North Macedonia

The new standard for North Macedonia has been approved, following a rapid but in-depth process that included important expertise and broad stakeholder consultation. The standard becomes effective on 15 December 2026.

North Macedonia reaches an important milestone. As the country celebrates its Independence Day, FSC extends its congratulations to the people of North Macedonia. Marking this important national occasion, FSC is also proud to contribute to the country's future through the publication of the new Interim Forest Stewardship Standard, an important step towards protecting and responsibly managing North Macedonia's forests for generations to come. Since last year, FSC worked with a team of consultants to develop a Forest Stewardship Standard for the country. The standard has now been published and is the latest addition to the list of FSC Forest Stewardship Standards for the countries of the Adria-Balkan Region.

Diego Florian, FSC’s national representative for the Adria-Balkan region, described the new standard as a strong example of FSC’s ability to respond to regional needs and support local stakeholders:

The new Forest Stewardship Standard for the country represents a great example of FSC’s capacity to deliver services and opportunities to the region since it responds to a direct request of local stakeholders, particularly the State Forest company. 

He expressed hope that the standard would now be widely adopted across the country’s forestry sector:

The wish is that it can be implemented now by those who requested it and by other forest management enterprises or forests smallholders in the country.

Growing FSC presence in North Macedonia

FSC certification has been present in North Macedonia for more than a decade. The country’s first FSC Chain of Custody certificate was issued in 2013, and the number of certified companies has since grown to 33.

Forests play a vital role in North Macedonia’s economy, environment and society. According to FAO data (2025), forests cover approximately 40% of the country’s territory, representing around one million hectares. Additional areas are classified as other wooded land. These forest ecosystems provide a wide range of benefits, including timber production, biodiversity conservation, watershed protection and climate regulation. They also support local livelihoods and contribute to the country’s long-term environmental resilience.

Most forests in North Macedonia are state-owned and managed through public institutions. Private forests are generally fragmented into small holdings and account for a smaller share of commercial forest production. With the publication of the new standard, forest managers and owners in North Macedonia now have access to a nationally adapted framework that supports responsible forest management while aligning with FSC’s globally recognized principles and requirements.

In an interview for FSC Adria-Balkan region, Dori Pavloska Gjorgjieska, the Process Portfolio Manager for Country Requirements at FSC’s secretariat, said that the standard is an important milestone for the country, as it will now be possible to implement 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.

Access and information

The new standard is available in the FSC Document Centre. For any questions on the standard or its development process, please contact Diego Florian at diego.florian@fsc.org, or the FSC Country Requirements team at country_requirements@fsc.org.