February 2023: This discussion paper is elaborated and compiled by the EPA Network interest group Green and Circular Economy. The report aims to gather evidence of national activities in the area of socio-economic indicators of relevance for the Circular Economy to inspire further work towards a more comprehensive monitoring framework along the principles of the Bellagio declaration.
This report from the Interest group on Noise summarises the work and all the information that IGNA has produced in the last five years. It gives an overview of the current 2022 situation with regards to environmental noise. And it provides conclusions and recommendations as to what should be the focus of the European noise community, and the IGNA group itself, in the years to come.
This report from the Interest group on Noise on Quiet areas Soundscaping and Urban Sound Planning focuses on improving the acoustic environment as a whole: by preserving it where it is good, and optimizing it there where it could be better.
February 2023: This position paper from a selection of Environmental Protection Agencies in Europe collaborating in the Interest group on Environment and Tourism highlights the value and potential of green aspects in the revitalization of tourism, one of the most impacted sectors by the pandemic COVID-19. There is a need for urgent actions to implement targeted measures to reduce the environmental footprint of tourism industry while ensuring tourism longevity, sustainability and economic security, states the paper.
February 2022: This is a letter sent to DG RTD Directors John Bell and Rosalinde van der Vlies. EPA signatories propose a continued dialogue with DG RTD and to create an EPA Network linked/originated platform for cooperation to support the European Research Area in support of the European Green Deal.
October 2021: This is an opinion paper produced by the joint EPA Network and ENCA Interest group on Genetically Modified Organisms, endorsed by nine EPAs. Key messages include that gene drive applications are likely to entail considerable ethical and ecological implications. Apart from societal issues, they pose challenges for environmental risk assessment (ERA), monitoring and risk management.
October 2020: This is a letter sent to First Vice President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans 13 October 2020. Heads of EPAs signatories sent their recommendations on how to link the Covid-19 recovery to the green transition.
March 2021: This is a discussion paper from the Interest group Green and Circular Economy. The objective of the paper is to share respective country information based on practical case studies, to analyse cross-country experiences and lessons obtained to increase the understanding of the potentials connected to Product Service Systems (PSS) business models as a cornerstone of the European Green Deal.
March 2021: The “Bellagio Declaration” is a set of principles on how to ensure that a monitoring of the transition to a circular economy captures all relevant aspects and involve all relevant parties. The work was started as a collaboration between ISPRA from Italy and the EEA and guided by an advisory group encompassing EPA Network representatives from Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal and Slovakia.
This paper from the EPA Network Interest group on Citizen Science gives an overview of initiatives on Citizen Science related to Zero Pollution. The paper was presented in the 35th EPA Network plenary on 8-9 February 2021.
January 2021: The report "Recommendations for overcoming barriers to mainstreaming the delivery of Nature-based Solutions" is a joint report from the Interest group Climate Change of the European Network of the Heads of Environment Protection Agencies (EPA Network) and Heads of European Nature Conservation Agencies (ENCA).
February 2019: This technical report provides an overview of the experience with monitoring of spontaneous populations of genetically modified plants (GMPs).
January 2019: This working paper presents seven recommendations on the use of biodegradable plastics based on a recent study from the German Environment Agency and a questionnaire developed by IG Plastics.
March 2019: This working paper gives an overview of how deposit return schemes are organized in different European states. Data from 16 EPA Network members have been collected through a questionnaire.
June 2018: This discussion paper provides a synthesis of nine European cases where waste has been turned into secondary material and used as a resource. The original case studies are described in the working paper Secondary materials (IG Green and Circular Economy) available on the EPA Network website.
June 2018: This working paper serves as background material for the discussion paper Waste as resource (IG Green and Circular Economy). The aim of the project “From waste to secondary materials” was to increase understanding of the possibilities connected to secondary raw materials.
June 2018: This discussion paper explores ways to secure a minimum lifetime and prolong the service life of products. The focus is especially on material obsolescence.
February 2018: This letter on the EU strategy for noise abatement in freight railway traffic was sent to DG MOVE.
February 2018: This letter on the EU strategy for noise abatement in freight railway traffic was sent to the European Railway Agency (ERA).
June 2018: This letter is a response from DG Move on a letter sent by IG Noise on the EU strategy for noise abatement in freight railway traffic in February 2018.
Green and circular economy_Socio_economic indicators report