About us
Who are we?
EEAC stands for the network of European Environmental and Sustainable Development Advisory Councils.
In European countries, Advisory Councils for the Environment and Sustainable Development have been established. These councils give independent and scientifically based advice to their respective governments.
For more information, download the EEAC brochure 2008 (PDF).
What are EEAC's Principles?
EEAC's principle is the common understanding that present trends in economic development are based on the unsustainable use of natural resources. Humankind is confronted with the challenge to find a new and more sustainable way of development. This new way of development will have to reconcile economic and social aspirations with the constraints and unique values of the natural environment.
What are EEAC's unique values and objectives?
- EEAC members are official, but independent advisory bodies from many EU members states and accession countries.
- EEAC provides an operation framework for joint activities.
- EEAC enriches the advice the individual councils give to their national and regional governments.
- EEAC allows councils to share experience, learn from each other and recognise areas where collective action and advice is most urgently needed to promote sustainable development in Europe.
- EEAC lets councils better anticipate forthcoming strategic issues on the European level.
- EEAC statements represent an agreement of councils across Europe. They are a powerful means to have an impact on policy developments on the European and national level.
Who are the EEAC Members, Partners, and Associates?
Co-operation between advisory councils under the EEAC network started in 1993. Nowadays, 26 councils from 16 European countries are members of the network. 400 key senior actors from academia, civil society, NGOs, stakeholder organisations and the private sector participate in the network in their quality as council members. The Member Councils section contains comprehensive information about every member council of the EEAC network.
Councils can also become partners or associates. Please check our Partners and Associates page to find out more. Or inform yourself about the conditions of membership.
How does EEAC do its work?
EEAC members work together in Working Groups that deal with concrete fields of action. Please go to our Working Groups section to find out about past and present activities of all EEAC Working Groups.
Every year, EEAC organizes an Annual Conference, hosted by one of its member councils. The Annual Conferences section provides information about past conferences and about EEAC's upcoming Annual Conference.
EEAC Working Groups organize workshops and seminars on an irregular basis. See the Working Group Events page to find out more.
EEAC produces statements that are elaborated by the Working Groups. These statements then undergo an endorsement process in the individual councils. Once they have been endorsed by a majority of councils, they are published as an official EEAC statement. Typically, an EEAC statement is produced at the occasion of the Annual Conference. Go to our Documents section to find all EEAC statements and publications.
How is EEAC being managed?
The highest authority in the EEAC network is the Steering Committee. A chair and Vice-chair of the Steering Committee are elected for a term of two years by the Annual Plenary Session. This session takes place on the occasion of the Annual Conference.
Since 1 January 2011, the chair of the Steering Committee and Board is Prof. Miranda Schreurs, Council Member of the SRU (Germany). Read more for a complete list of members of the Steering Comittee and Board.
How can EEAC be contacted?
Please use the Contact Us page for contact information.