European Environmental Bureau

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The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) is a network of around 180 environmental citizens' organisations based in more than 40 countries. The EEB is a democratic federation, representing local, national, European and international groups in European Union Member States, plus some accession and neighbouring countries. It plays a prominent role in defending and promoting environmental interests and legislation at the different EU institutions.

History
Before the first Environmental Action Plan was adopted by the European Community, environmental NGOs from Europe met in the United Kingdom, together with the European Commission, the UNECE, the UNEP and the IUCN. During the meeting, the creation of a federation of non-governmental organizations within the European Community was proposed, which later become an information clearinghouse for the EC countries.

In order to give its members a central location to follow and respond to the developing environmental policy of the EU, the EEB headquarters was established in Brussels in 1974.

In 1998, the EEB led the issue group on public participation of the pan-European coalition on environmental citizens' organizations, later named as European ECO Forum, which was closely involved in the negotiating phase of the UNECE Aarhus Convention.

By 2013, it was considered as one of the seven core environmental organizations in Europe, together with Friends of the Earth Europe (FFoE), Greenpeace International, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Climate Network Europe (CAN-E), the European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E), and BirdLife International.

EU political institutions had a large role in the formation and maintenance of Brussel-based umbrella- and federation type groups representing EU civil society, through direct funding relationships (estimated around 80 per cent in 2005) from the Union budget, and by virtue of an early preference of the Commission for engaging only with EU level groups.

Mission
The EEB's mission is to be "the largest and most inclusive European network of environmental citizens’ groups – and the only one that works on such a broad range of issues", while advocating "for progressive policies to create a better environment in the European Union and beyond."

Activities

The EEB has an information service, runs working groups with its members, produces position papers on topics that are, or EEB feels should be, on the EU agenda, and represents its members in discussions with the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. It closely coordinates EU-oriented activities with members at national level, and also closely follows the EU enlargement process and some pan-European issues such as follow-up to the Aarhus Convention (the UNECE 'Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters').

The organisation has consultative status at, and relations with: the Council of Europe, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee of the European Union, the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), and the United Nation Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD).

Membership network

Environmental organisations in candidate countries (those applying to join the EU) and, increasingly, in the Western Balkans, regard the EEB as their main partner with a European focus. The EEB's experience, relationships and position are of great value to these states in determining their own role in processes related to EU enlargement and the environment. Owing to the EEB's proactive involvement, its members from New Member States and those aspiring to join the EU are already numerous and are increasing.

Member organisations

NFI - Naturefriends International
ÖKO-BÜRO - Alliance of the Environmental Movement
Umweltdachverband
Dryade
BBL - Bond Beter Leefmilieu Vlaanderen
Bellona Europa
Carbon Market Watch
CATAPA
ECOS - Environmental Coalition on Standards
EFCF- European Federation of City Farms
European Union of Mountaineering Associations - EUMA
HCWH - Health Care Without Harm Europe
Canopea
IFLA Europe - International Federation of Landscape Architects
PAN - Pesticide Action Network Europe
SAR - Seas At Risk
stRaten-Generaal
UECNA - European Union Against Aircraft Nuisances
Europe and We
Za Zemiata
SUNCE - Association for Nature, Environment and Sustainable Development
ZELENA AKCIJA - Friends of the Earth Croatia
Cyprus Center for Environmental Research and Education
FEO - Federation of Environmental Organisations of Cyprus
Friends of the Earth Cyprus
Terra Cypria-The Cyprus Conservation Foundation
Arnika Association
Frank Bold Society
J&E - Justice and Environment
SSL - Society for Sustainable Living
YEE - Youth and Environment Europe
Zeleny Kruh - Green Circle
Danmarks Naturfredningsforening - Danish Society for Nature Conservation
Rådet for Grøn Omstilling - Green Transition Denmark
ESNC - Estonian Society for Nature Conservation
Let's do it foundation
Natur och Miljö - The Finnish Society for Nature and Environment
Suomen Luonnonsuojeluliitto - Finnish Association for Nature Conservation
Terre d'Abeilles
Agir pour l'Environnement
ASPAS - Association pour la Protection des Animaux Sauvages
FNE - France Nature Environnement
La fresque du climat
One Voice
SEPANSO
SOS Loire Vivante - ERN France
Zero Waste France
CENN
Green Alternative
BBU - Bundesverband Bürgerinitiative Umweltschutz
BHU - Bund Heimat und Umwelt in Deutschland
Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland e.V. (BUND) - FoE DE
Bundesverband Boden E.v.
Deutsche Umwelthilfe E.V. - Environmental Action Germany
DNR - Deutscher Naturschutzring
ELSA - European Land and Soil Alliance
European Compost Network
Forest Stewardship Council International Center - FSC IC
Grüne Liga
HEJSupport – Health and Environment Justice Support
Licht und Natur
Living Rivers Foundation
Naturschutzbund Deutschland - NABU
Runder Tisch Reparatur
Öko-Institut E.V. - Institute for Applied Ecology
SDW - Schutzgemeinschaft Deutscher Wald
Testbiotech
UVP Gesellschaft E.V.
Verband Der Deutschen Höhlen- Und Karstforscher E.v (VdHK)
Umweltinstitut München
ECOCITY
Elliniki Etairia
Enaleia
Organization Earth
CAAG - Clean Air Action Group - Levegö Munkacsop
CEEweb for Biodiversity
EMLA Environmental Management and Law Association
HUMUSZ - Hulladek Munkaszövetseg - Waste Reduction Alliance
MTVSZ - National Society of Conservationists - Friends of The Earth Hungary
Náttúruverndarsamtök Íslands - Iceland Nature Conservation Association
The Just Environment Charitable Trust
An Taisce - The National Trust for Ireland
Coastwatch Europe
Feasta: the Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability
FIE - Friends of the Irish Environment
IEN - Irish Environmental Network
IWT - Irish Wildlife Trust
SWAN - Sustainable Water Network
VOICE - Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment
Zero Waste Alliance Ireland
Green Impact
CieloBuio - Coordinamento per la Protezione del Cielo
Cittadini per l'Aria
Federazione Nazionale Pro Natura
Free Rivers Italia
Genitori Antismog
Legambiente
Societá Speleologica Italiana
Green Liberty
LDF - Latvian Fund for Nature - Latvijas Dabas Fonds
Aplinkosaugos koalicija - Environmental Coalition
Circular Economy - VšĮ Žiedinė ekonomika
Lithuanian Fund for Nature
Federation Speologique Européenne (FSE)
Mouvement Ecologique
Natur & Emwelt
NTM - Nature Trust Malta
Eco-Tiras
TAPP Coalition - True Animal Protein Price Coalition
Stichting Feedback EU
Mondiaal Alternatief
Natuurmonumenten
NSG - Nederlandse Stichting Geluidhinder
SNM - Stichting Natuur en Milieu
Vereniging Milieudefensie - Friends of the Earth Netherlands
Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF International)
Changing Markets Foundation
Citizen's Climate Europe
Landschappen
Tegengif
Go Green
Eko-Svest
Journalists for Human Rights
Future in Our Hands
CPE - Centrum Prawa Ekologicznego - Environmental Law Center
Eko-Unia
ISD - Institute for Sustainable Development - Instytut Na Rzecz Ekorozwoju
Nowa Idea
Polish Zero Waste Association - Polskie Stowarzyszenie Zero Waste
Polski Klub Ekologiczny - Polish Ecological Club
Pro Terra
GEOTA - Grupo de Estudos de Ordenamento do Territorio e Ambiente
LPN - Liga para a Protecçao de Natureza
Quercus - Associaçao Nacional de Conservaçao da Natureza
ZERO - Associação Sistema Terrestre Sustentável
2Celsius
ARM - Romanian Environment Association
CEDD - Centrul de Excelență pentru Dezvoltare Durabilă
Ecoteca
Focus Eco Center
Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
GEC Bucovina - Grupul Ecologic de Colaborare - Ecological Group for Cooperation
Green Planet
EEG – Environment Engineering Group
Safer Chemicals Alternative - ALHEM
Sredina - Association of Citizens
Environmental Ambassadors for Sustainable Development
CEPTA - Centre for Sustainable Alternatives
INCIEN - Institute for the Circular Economy
PIC - Pravni center za varstvo človekovih pravic in okolja
Drustvo Temno Nebo Slovenije - Dark Sky Slovenia
Umanotera - The Slovenian Foundation for Sustainable development
ACEN - African Circular Economy Network
AV Chueca
ECODES - Ecology and Development Foundation - Fundacion Ecologia y Desarollo
Ecologistas en Accion
Ecómetro
Ecoserveis
Eco-Union
FNCA - Fundación Nueva Cultura del Agua - New Water Culture Foundation
Fundación Vida Sostenible
Fundación Vivo Sano
IIDMA - Instituto Internacional de Derecho y Medio Ambiente
AIRCLIM - Air Pollution and Climate Secretariat
ChemSec - International Chemical Secretariat
MKG - Swedish NGO Office for Nuclear Waste Review
Naturskyddsföreningen - SSNC - Swedish Society for Nature Conservation
Noé21
Together Association
TEMA Foundation
Environmental Alert
Center for Environmental Initiatives Ecoaction
EPL - Environment People Law
Resource & Analysis Center Society and Environment
Child Rights International Network (CRIN)
CHEM Trust
CIWF - Compassion In World Farming
Client Earth
FERN
Green Alliance
LINK - Scottish Environment Link
Population Matters
RSPB - Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Woodland Trust
The Restart Project

Campaigns
In November 2004, working with the Ban Mercury Working Group, EEB launched the Zero Mercury campaign, whose ultimate goal is to achieve zero emissions, demand and supply of mercury, from all sources we can control, to reduce global environmental mercury levels to a minimum. An international Zero Mercury Working Group was created to follow up developments at European and global level.

Since the beginning of 2011, EEB has been coordinating the Coolproducts campaign aiming at unleashing the energy savings potential of energy-related products.

References

External links
Official website
Zero Mercury campaign
Green 10
Coolproducts for a cool planet
Spring alliance

Nature conservation organisations based in Europe
Environmental organisations based in Belgium
Environmental law in the European Union