On July 31 and August 1, 2025, working meetings were held between Prof. Dr. Justus Eberl, Chair of Forestry Policy and Environmental Law at the University of Applied Sciences Erfurt, and Ihor Kramarenko, a legal expert in the field of forestry in Ukraine and representative of the UA Communities platform.
The meetings aimed to establish partnerships and explore opportunities for long-term cooperation between Ukrainian and German academic, expert, and civil society institutions in the field of forestry.
Special attention was given to the importance of engaging relevant government authorities responsible for forest policy development and implementation in Ukraine.
The parties identified several potential areas for future cooperation:
- a. Comparative legal analysis of the implementation of European environmental legislation, in particular the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), the Nitrates Directive (NRL), and other regulatory frameworks impacting the forestry sector in Ukraine.
- b. Development of training programs for students, young researchers, and forestry professionals, especially at the community level.
- c. Research on best European practices in sustainable forest management and formulation of policy recommendations for Ukraine, including proposals for reforming the forestry education system.
As a practical next step, the parties agreed to jointly develop analytical materials, including on EUDR implementation, and to publish collaborative academic and policy-oriented articles addressing the challenges and opportunities of integrating new European requirements into Ukraine’s forest governance framework.
During the visit, Ihor Kramarenko also held a meeting with the dean Prof. Dr. Birgit Wilhelm, who expressed strong support for the proposed directions of cooperation and shared confidence in the successful implementation of the outlined initiatives, including joint research, educational exchange, and institutional partnerships.
The possibility of organizing a visit by Prof. Dr. Justus Eberl to Ukraine was also discussed. The purpose of such a visit would be to facilitate an expert exchange and include meetings with representatives of forest science, civil society, educational institutions, and relevant government bodies. This visit is seen as an important step toward strengthening academic cooperation, promoting joint research, and deepening institutional dialogue between Ukrainian and German forestry stakeholders.
