On 26 September 2018, IMPEL presented the IMPEL Next Generation Conference on its ambitions, progress and way forward of its network. Set in the beautiful city of Zwolle, the conference offered a unique opportunity for over 170 environmental regulators and enforcers to learn and discuss challenges and experiences related to the practical implementation of EU environmental law.
The focus of the presentations and discussions was on the use of new technologies, building capacity and more involvement of the public when it comes to compliance with environmental regulations.
In his closing remarks Chris Dijkens, chair of IMPEL, said: “We talked about enforcement actions, peer reviews, broadening our scope and a better cooperation within Europe. We talked about being more flexible, and our plans to train the experts, but also train the trainers. Innovations and new tools and methods were discussed too. Innovation simplifies our work and makes it more effective. Exchanging and sharing innovative methodologies and experiences is therefore essential. All in all, we have focused on some very important work for the future.”
Pieter-Jan van Zanten, Director of the regional environmental protection agency IJsselland, the Netherlands, added: “The use of innovative tools and methodologies significantly increases and supports the prediction of potential infringements. I think we should focus on this one particular word: prediction. We are now carrying out inspections to check if everything is going well, but we should think about the question: What are we going to do in the future?”
The highlights and outcomes are captured in an e-zine, which can be accessed here.