Today, IMPEL is launching a new survey of its members seeking to understand the main challenges to good implementation of EU environmental law. The information gathered will be used by IMPEL to identify how to support its member authorities by developing model strategies, tools and projects for more efficient compliance assurance.
The implementation challenge survey follows on from a previous survey that the network conducted in 2014. Seeking information on the actual challenges that competent authorities face when applying or enforcing EU Environmental Legislation, the survey questionnaire is more detailed this time round and also addresses innovative practices and solutions as well as complementary instruments which could help to foster compliance. It will collect the views of practitioners for environmental compliance assurance all over Europe on what would help them carry out their work, as well as best practices that already have successfully supported compliance.
The survey questionnaire can also be used for collection of information on compliance assurance and the needs of inspectorates at the national or regional level. This may also serve as a basis for a national dialogue on environmental compliance assurance, which is proposed in the Commission’s “Environmental Implementation Review”- process.
A project report will summarise the collected information and offer analysis of the results as well as discernible trends identified in comparison with the first survey results. The data collected is confidential and there will be no case-specific reporting, audit or benchmarking; but IMPEL expects some useful best-practise examples to emerge.
IMPEL has been generously supported by European Commission to translate the content of the survey questionnaire into all EU languages plus Norwegian.
Access to the survey can be requested via the project leader, Ms Kristina Rabe, and will be open until the end of July.