Forest Certification and Sustainable Forest Management in Romania—Benefits, Barriers, and a European Comparison

Romania’s forest sector has undergone significant transformation over the past two decades, with certification emerging as a key instrument for improving transparency, ecological safeguards and market access. This study examines the current state of forest certification in Romania within broader European trends toward sustainable forest management. Using a documentary analysis, a four-country comparative assessment (Romania, Finland, Sweden, Germany), three illustrative Romanian case studies, and a cross-country statistical analysis (Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression) of 18 European countries, the study evaluates the ecological, economic and social benefits of certification and the structural barriers limiting its adoption, especially among private and communal owners. Results show that certification has improved biodiversity protection, monitoring and institutional accountability, while facilitating access to international markets. A comparative analysis of 18 European countries, controlling for national income and EU accession timing, shows that Romania’s certification coverage lags roughly 16 percentage points behind the level predicted by its income and accession cohort, comparable to gaps in wealthier Western European economies; this residual is not explained by income or accession timing and is consistent with, though does not on its own demonstrate, the structural barriers (ownership fragmentation, administrative capacity, infrastructure) documented qualitatively in this study. Persistent challenges, including fragmented ownership, uneven administrative capacity and infrastructure gaps, continue to restrict implementation. The study concludes that Romania is progressing toward European models of sustainable forest management, but further convergence requires coherent policies, stronger institutional capacity and targeted support for small forest owners, in line with the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.