The new chair and vice chair of IMPEL would like to wish everyone a very happy, safe, healthy and prosperous 2017, privately and professionally.
The year 2016 was in many ways successful fro IMPEL. A big thanks for all the work our IMPEL members have done to achieve this success. With 2017 we have a new challenging and busy year in front of us. Our agreed work plan needs to be carried out, several important decisions that were taken by the General Assembly need to be implemented and we will catch up with several opportunities that came and come across us and where IMPEL can benefit from this year. There will be many!
Last December we had a very fruitful introductory meeting with the new Director-General Environment of the European Commission, Mr. Daniel Calleja Crespo. He underlined the importance and values that IMPEL has in the implementation of environmental legislation in the EU and expressed strongly his appreciation for the work that IMPEL does. During our talk he mentioned that the year 2017 is for him ‘the year of implementation’ and he invited and encouraged IMPEL to play a significant role in that. Amongst others he sees for IMPEL an important role to play in the elaboration and implementation of the “Environmental Compliance Assurance Initiative” with which the Commission comes along through a Communication. You all will be informed about this interesting initiative on a short term. Overall, the year 2017 will be very challenging and exciting and will provide IMPEL various opportunities.
We would like to express our wish that the coming year will be a successful one with excellent results through a continuation of a joint active involvement and cooperation in IMPEL’s projects and activities.
Chris Dijkens, Chair IMPEL
Ana Garcia, Vice Chair IMPEL