PRESS RELEASE

NAME OF THE MEETING

30th IMPEL Plenary Meeting

TIME AND PLACE:

28-30 November, 2007
Portugal/Lisbon

IMPEL´S MISSION AND OBJECTIVES:

IMPEL, the European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law, is an informal network of the environmental authorities of the Member States, acceding and candidate countries of the European Union and Norway. The European Commission is also a member of IMPEL.

The work of the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law network (IMPEL) is principally undertaken through the projects it carries out which are typically concerned with identifying good practice in the implementation of an EU Environmental Directives, or in comparing practice in implementation across different countries.

Portugal's objective is to continue developing the effective enforcement of Community environmental legislation and projects and to promote the exchange of experiences. 

The value of the network is:

· to protect the environment by the effective implementation of European Environmental
  Law;
· to help us develop strong links with regulators in other Member States; these enable 
  us to find out how they are implementing EU environmental law;
· to be a forum of discussion of practical experience on problems in current legislation
  that make it difficult to enforce; 
· to try to have a role in casting a regulators perspective over proposals for future EU
  legislation;
· to develop common views on the coherence and practicability of EU Legislation.

IMPEL PLENARY MEETINGS:

The Plenary Meeting is IMPEL´s main body for strategic discussions, final decisions and approval of projects, as well as the forum which is formally responsible for IMPEL activities and products.

It is responsible for adopting the annual work programme and reviewing and updating IMPEL´s multi-annual work programme. The IMPEL Plenary Meeting is co-chaired by EU Presidency and the Comission and takes place in the Member State Presidency. 

The participants in the Plenary meetings are senior officials from the Member State´s Ministries and Agencies, policy makers and those responsible for the implementation and enforcement and the Comission. 

The Candidate countries are also represented.

Representatives from other environmental networks which have a close link to IMPEL´s scope, such as REPIN, BERCEN, INECE, can also be invited to participate in the Plenary meetings.

IMPEL PORTUGUESE PLENARY 

The IMPEL Portuguese Coordinator is Ms Isabel Santana and the team of the organizing committee is composed by Ms Paula Matias and Mr Bruno Simplício. 

CONTACT PERSONS:

Ms Isabel Santana
IGAOT (Environmental and Territorial Planning General Inspectorate)
Rua do Século, nº 63 – 1200 Lisbon 
Tel: +351 213215512
Fax: +351 213432777
E-mail: isantana@igaot.pt

Ms Paula Matias
IGAOT (Environmental and Territorial Planning General Inspectorate)
Rua do Século, nº 63 – 1200 Lisbon 
Tel: +351 213215519
Fax: +351 213432777
E-mail: pmatias@igaot.pt

Mr Bruno Simplício
IGAOT (Environmental and Territorial Planning General Inspectorate)
Rua do Século, nº 63 – 1200 Lisbon 
Tel: +351 213215541
Fax: +351 213432777
E-mail: bsimplicio@igaot.pt