Introducing the Nature protection Expert Team

Halting and reversing the loss of biodiversity by 2020 is a priority within the European Union. The implementation of EU Nature legislation (the Birds and Habitat Directives and regulation concerning invasive alien species) is essential to achieve the EU 2020 biodiversity target as included in the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.

However, implementation and enforcement need to be improved. As relatively high number of complaints and infringement procedures related to these nature Directives reach the EC every year, there is a need to strengthen the inspection and enforcement on this item and to do so it is necessary to join forces with other Nature networks in Europe. According to the IMPEL strategy, main areas of interest for nature protection will be covered by the work of the Green Expert Team. This approach has been envisaged as more efficient to deal with new perspectives in European Nature Legislation Implementation: it will permit a focalized approach to nature conservation issues and steady and structured dialogue among nature experts between authorities, other important networks like network of prosecutors, network of judges, NGO’s and scientific institutes. The overall objective of the Green Expert Team is to contribute to strengthening the implementation of EU Nature legislation through raise awareness, extend the network of green experts, exchange best practices, strengthen collaboration with EU network from prosecutors and network form judges, strengthen collaboration and share knowledge with NGO’s, improve co-operation between (enforcement) experts and to organise joint inspections. IMPEL is willing to combine the effort of all the networks, NGO’s and use its experience in inspection and enforcement to determine projects and activities that add value in the chain of regulation- permit and inspection- enforcement- prosecution- verdict- evaluation of effectiveness of legislation.