ABOUT US
European Environment and Sustainable Development Advisory Councils (EEAC)
EEAC Background
EEAC Activities
EEAC Management
EEAC Background
Who are we?
The EEAC network is a unique collaboration between the councils set up by European governments to provide independent and scientifically based advice on the environment and sustainable development. The network is a powerful tool for sharing information and experience across Europe.
Co-operation between advisory councils under the EEAC network started in 1993. More than 30 councils from 16 European countries with around 400 key senior actors from academia, civil society/NGOs, stakeholder organisations and the private sector now participate in the network.
Advisory councils for environmental policy and/or for sustainable development typically have the following institutional characteristics:
- they are bodies established by a national or regional government for the tasks of giving independent advice on environmental and/or sustainable development issues, stimulating informed debate and/or communicating with a wider public and fostering the involvement of civil society;
- they are composed of a limited number of council members, who are appointed (following different procedures) to represent a spectrum of disciplines and expertise from outside the government, often from or including civil society organisations or stakeholders;
- they have a secretariat facilitating the deliberations and activities of the council, but only the council itself can adopt positions and recommendations.
Download EEAC brochure 2008
Article on EEAC on ELNI, "The network of European Environment and Sustainable Development Advisory Councils (EEAC)", 1/2005▲Top
Our Principles
The fundamental principle underlying the EEAC network is the common understanding that present trends in production, consumption, trade, and economic development as a whole are rooted in unsustainable uses of natural resources. The global challenge confronting humankind is to move to a new and more sustainable concept of development. This new concept of development will acknowledge economic needs and social aspirations, but also will respect the constraints imposed by the requirement to protect the critical and unique values of the natural environment.
Our Objectives
- to enrich the advice the individual councils give to their national and regional governments;
- to provide an operational framework for joint activities;
- to profit from the experiences and work of councils in other countries;
- to better anticipate forthcoming strategic issues at European level, and, where appropriate, to exert an influence on policy developments at EU level by acting cooperatively.
Download the popular version of the EEAC Strategy
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EEAC's Unique Value
The EEAC has a distinctive and authoritative role:
- our members have a unique character in terms of being official but independent advisory bodies from a wide range of EU members states and accession countries;
- councils are no stakeholders organisations themselves, but established by national and regional governments with the task to give independent, scientifically based advice and provide a dialogue among relevant stakeholders;
- councils provide capacity int he EEAC network for sharing experiences and perspectives, learning from each other, and recognising those areas where collectively agreed viewpoints which transcend national perspectives are vital for a more sustainable development in Europe;
- collective advice on EU policies is selective and focuses on more strategic topics; any EEAC statement represents an agreement of councils across Europe as it goes through a broad consultation among members and is endorsed by each individual council supporting the advice.
We see the establishment and continuation of independent advisory bodies as a means and indicator of good governance. Most European governments, as well as the EU, recognise the added value of a broader knowledge basis and better involvement of society in the preparation of policies and their implementation.
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EEAC Members, Partners and Associates
The strengths of the EEAC network are both a common identity and the diversity in the structure and function of its members, associates and partners, all of whom share a common purpose in supporting the network’s Principles and Objectives.
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EEAC Members
In order to become an EEAC member a council has to meet the following criteria:
- institutional characteristics of an advisory council (as described on the Who are we section),
- political and institutional independence, which is translated into a real capacity to provide critical and independent advice regardless of the government’s official position,
- support of the Principles and Objectives,
- payment of due subscriptions.
At present, the EEAC members are:
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EEAC Partners
In order to become an EEAC partner a council has to meet the following criteria:
- to be an officially established advisory body that does not fully meet the requirements described in Who are we section but has wider regulatory or operational responsibilities and a real capacity to provide critical and independent advice,
- support of the Principles and Objectives,
- payment of due subscriptions.
At present, the EEAC partners are:
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EEAC Associates
EEAC Associates are officially established councils that:
- intends to either maintain a certain and partial degree of collaboration within the network,
- or does not fully meet the necessary requirements to become an EEAC member or partner.
At present, EEAC associates are:
Czech Republic Government Council for Sustainable Development (RVUR) Finland Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development (FNCSD) Montenegro National Council for Sustainable Development of Montenegro (NSOR) ▲Top
EEAC Activities
Working Groups
The thematic Working Groups (WGs) are a key mechanism of collaboration in EEAC. They are initiated by a group of councils for topics of common interest and concern. The WGs are mandated for developing a policy debate and, when appropriate, joint statements on a specific topic of relevant interest. At present, the EEAC has six Working Groups:
- sustainable development strategies;
- environmental governance;
- energy policy;
- agricultural policy, land use and rural development;
- biodiversity;
- coastal zones and marine environment.
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EEAC Annual Conferences
Annual conferences are each year hosted by EEAC members. The theme is chosen according to the topic of a Working Group statement that has been elaborated prior to the event (as it shows the table below).
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EEAC Statements
The WGs develop a policy debate and joint recommendations in the form of statements or letter advice, which are endorsed by its members or a wider range of councils. Once a WG statement is agreed by a clear majority of EEAC councils, it becomes an EEAC statement. Such collective advice is addressed to key players in the European, national and regional arena, and is typically presented at an EEAC Annual Conference.
Full list of EEAC and WG Statements
The following table shows how in most cases, EEAC Annual Conferences from 1999` are related to the publication of an EEAC statement:
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EEAC Workshops and Seminars
The EEAC network also organises workshops and seminars on particular subjects of interest to our members. In some ocassions, these seminars have been intended to launch an EEAC publication based on a commissioned research study. The most recent events have been:
EEAC Workshops and Seminars
EEAC Publications
2010: Scenarios and Policies for Decarbonisation of the European Power Sector, Brussels, Belgium 2009: Land Use and Global Economy, Brussels, Belgium Land use in an Era of Global Change 2008: Agrofuels Workshop, Brussels
10% Agrofuels: a prudent target? Setting the right priorities for agroenergy use, 29 January 2008
2007: Assessing the impacts of the CAP, Brussels
2007: Global Economic Drivers for Land Use Change, Brussels
Activity Report 2007. Globalisation, Land Use Change and the Common Agricultural Policy
2005: Sustaining Sustainability, Eberbach , Germany
Full list with EEAC Publications
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EEAC Management
The following bodies are involved in the management of our network:
- The Annual Plenary Session is composed by EEAC members and partners and has the ultimate authority in the network. It meets yearly at the Annual Conference.
- The Steering Committee stimulates, facilitates and supports the joint network activities.
- The Board of the Stichting Management for EEAC is responsible for the administrative and human resources issues.
- The EEAC Office is the facilitator and secretariat to the network and co-ordinates its activities.
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Steering Committee and Board
In 1997, a Steering Committee was formed to oversee the management of the network and the EEAC Office. There are some rotation mechanisms for the Steering Committee seats. The Annual Plenary Session elects the chairs, vice-chairs and the co-opted members. Terms of office of chair and vice-chair are two years.
In 2005, the network established a Stichting Foundation for Management of EEAC under Dutch law, registered in the Kamer van Koophandel den Haag (27273968), with the purpose of executing management tasks for the network. The Stichting, that granted legal personality to the network, supports its functioning by providing administrative services, including the management of financial and human resources.
At present, the Steering Committee has the following members:
Chair Hubert David, Minaraad, Belgium Vice-Chair Miranda Schreurs, SRU, Germany EEAC Office supervisor Roger Thomas, CCW, UK Host conference 2009 Natalija Koprivanac, SORZO, Croatia Host conference 2010 Walter Roggeman, Minaraad, Belgium Co-opted seats Jan de Smedt, FRDO-CFDD, Belgium
Antonio Abreu, CNADS, PortugalChairs of the Steering Committee have been:
1997-1998
Prof. Eckard Rehbinder, Chairman of the German Advisory Council on the Environment (SRU) 1999-2000 Hubert David, President of the Environmental and Nature Council of Flanders (Minaraad) 2001-2002 Prof. Richard Macrory, Member of the UK Royal Commission for Environmental Pollution (RCEP) 2003-2004 Prof. Franc Lobnik, President of the Slovenian Environment Council (CEPRS) 2005-2008 Frans Evers, Member of the Dutch Advisory Council for Research on Spatial Planning, Nature and the Environment (RMNO)
At present, the Board has the following members:
Chair Hubert David, Minaraad, Belgium Vice-Chair Miranda Schreurs, SRU, Germany EEAC Office supervisor Roger Thomas, CCW, UK Antonio Abreu, CNADS, Portugal ▲Top
EEAC Office
In 1997, the network installed a common secretariat, the EEAC Office with the task of acting as facilitator to the network and co-ordinate its activities. The EEAC Office has been hosted by English Nature (1997-99), by the German Environmental Advisory Council (1999-2002), and the Dutch Advisory Council for Research on Spatial Planning, Nature and the Environment (2002-2005). Since 2005, it is located in Brussels in the premises of the Environment and Nature Council of Flanders (Minaraad).
The seat of the Stichting Foundation for Management of EEAC, established on 1.1.2005 was until 12.2009 c/o RMNO, P.O. Box 93051, 2509 AB, Den Haag, the Netherlands. Since 01.2010 it is c/o VROM-raad / P.O.Box 30949, IPC 105 NL-2500 GX, The Netherlands.
For further questions about participation and membership do not hesitate to contact the Steering Committee via the EEAC Office.
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Last updated on 26 April 2010