Who can become a member?
Membership of IMPEL is open to public authorities that implement and enforce environmental legislation. It is not open to individuals. Typically, membership in IMPEL is taken up by EPA’s, inspectorates, permitting agencies and Ministries. Associations of organisations and authorities working on implementation and enforcement of environmental legislation can also become a member of IMPEL.
Benefits of being involved
Networking
Your organisation will be in a network of 50+ environmental authorities with the opportunity to work together on practical implementation issues through projects and activities. This will give your organisation extensive networking opportunities with other implementation and enforcement specialists from IMPEL member countries.
Joint learning
IMPEL projects and activities give your organisation the opportunity to work on common challenges of environmental authorities and produce new ideas and knowledge. IMPEL provides a platform for members to share ideas and experiences and learn from each other.
Sharing best practices
One of the main objectives of IMPEL is to share and develop guidance documents on best practices. This enables learning from experiences of experts in other environmental authorities.
Access to Basecamp
Basecamp is a web-based project management and communication platform. IMPEL uses this software to facilitate networking, interaction and sharing of information between members. Having access to this platform is one of the practical benefits of being a member of IMPEL.
Increased capacity
IMPEL enhances capacity building in your organisation by offering opportunities to learn through projects, conferences and trainings.
Taking part in projects
Your organisation will benefit from the opportunity to have staff take part in projects (with their flight, accommodation and basic catering costs included).
Taking part in expert teams
Expert Teams are thematic based forums for like-minded peers to share information about implementing and enforcing environmental legislation. As a member you will have the opportunity to have staff to take part in expert teams and make decisions on future projects.
Help organisations use their limited resources more effectively
By producing technical guidance and promoting the use of risk-based approaches to target efforts IMPEL can help member organisations strengthen the implementation of environmental law.
Collaboration between enforcement authorities
Collaboration between authorities is very important, especially for cross border issues. IMPEL strengthens cross border communications and links between experts and gives the opportunity for members to work together on common implementation challenges. This work strengthens the collaboration between enforcement authorities of different countries.
Peer reviews
IMPEL offers peer reviews called: ‘IMPEL Review Initiative’ (IRI). The IRI is a voluntary peer review where environmental authorities of IMPEL member countries help each other to improve the implementation of EU environmental law. By having an IRI, your organisation can get low cost advice for further improvement of your work.
Engagement with external partners
IMPEL is in close cooperation with several external networks such as the International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (INECE), European Network of the Heads of Environmental Protection Agencies (NEPA), European Network of Prosecutors for the Environment (ENPE) and European Network of Judges for the Environment (EUFJE). As an IMPEL member, your organisation will have the opportunity to meet and work with members of these networks too.
Responsibilities
Being a member comes with responsibilities. IMPEL derives most of its income from the European Union but a significant portion (about 30%) comes from membership fees (€ 5,000 per member organisation). The network is only as successful as the participants themselves when they network and work together so taking part in decision making, projects and activities is also a key part of being a member.
Feedback from members
Read here the feedback of three of our members, from Ireland, Portugal and The Netherlands.
How to proceed?
If your organisation is interested in becoming a member of IMPEL, please contact our Secretariat.