Strengthening Environmental Liability Directive Implementation and Enforcement
As part of a collaborative effort to enhance the implementation and enforcement of the Environmental Liability Directive (ELD) across Europe supported by the EU Commission, the CAED (Criteria for the Assessment of the Environmental Damage) project of the IMPEL Network actively participated in 3 high-level ELD Training Workshops held a the Greek Ministry of the Environment and Energy in Athens (14-16 October 2024), at the Romanian Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests in Bucharest (19-21 November 2024), and at the Latvian State Environmental Service in Riga (7-9 April 2025).
These 3 workshops were organized by the EU Commission (DG ENV) and featured the direct contribution of IMPEL’s CAED Project.
The trainers from the CAED project team delivered a dedicated half-a-day session in each workshop, focusing on practical tools, approaches and methodologies developed by the project to support the screening and assessment of ELD cases. Through presentations and interactive exercises, the CAED trainers shared their approach and methodology to screen potential ELD cases and to identify clues and evidence of environmental damage under ELD. Training materials are available here.
Each training session gathered representatives from competent authorities, IED inspectors, water experts, biodiversity experts, and legal experts, fostering the exchange of experience on challenges and good practices in the implementation of the ELD at national and EU levels.
Key Contributions of the CAED Project:
- Presentation of the CAED Screening Procedure and Clue/Evidence Assessment Methodology
- Case-based exercises on biodiversity, water and land damage
- Expert-led discussions on ELD assessments
- Collaborative learning on cross-border ELD implementation challenges
These workshops showcased the value of IMPEL’s projects and peer learning in reinforcing environmental compliance and building capacity among Member States.
The CAED project team will continue to support future training efforts and plans to consolidate outcomes and feedback from the workshops.
More details about the CAED project are available here.