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© Image: European Environmental Agency
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© Photo: European Environmental Agency
European Environmental Agency's headquarters building in Copenhagen, Denmark

The European Environment Agency (EEA) is an agency of the European Union devoted to establishing a network for the monitoring of the European environment. It is governed by a Management Board composed of representatives of the governments of member states, a European Commission representative and two scientists appointed by the European Parliament, assisted by a committee of scientists.

It was established by EEC Regulation 1210/1990, as amended by EEC Regulation 933/1999; and became operational in 1994. It is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark.

As an EU body, member states of the European Union are automatically members; however the Council Regulation establishing it provided that other states may become members of it by means of agreements concluded between them and the European Community.

It was the first EU body to open its membership to the 13 candidate countries (pre-2004 enlargement).

As of February 2007 it has 32 members:

• 27 EU member states
• 3 European Economic Area members: Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein
• 1 candidate country: Turkey
• Switzerland since 1 April 2006

As of October 2006, about 150 staff members are listed on the EEA's website.

European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change

The European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change (ETC/ACC) assists the European Environment Agency (EEA) in its support of European Union (EU) policy in the field of air pollution and climate change. It is a consortium of 14 European institutions, established in 2001 by the EEA, with an annual budget of about 2 millions Euros, with RIVM-MNP as the lead institution. In March 2004 the EEA extended the contract with the consortium through 2006.

The ETC/ACC reports on the progress of EU environmental policy on air pollutant emissions, air quality, and climate change issues. The ETC/ACC participates in relevant reports issued by the EEA, collects data concerning the current state of the environment, and harmonises European air quality monitoring networks and reporting obligations.

The ETC/ACC also maintains an online copy of the Model Documentation System (MDS) which is a catalogue of most of the air quality and air pollution dispersion models developed and/or used in Europe. The MDS catalogue listings include the name, description and support contacts for each model as well as other pertinent technical details. The MDS was developed at the Aristotle University in Thessaloniki, Greece, by Prof. Nicolas Moussiopoulos.

European Topic Centre on Land Use and Spatial Information

The European Topic Centre Land Use and Spatial Information (ETC-LUSI) is an international consortium under contract to the European Environment Agency (EEA). The consortium is led by the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) from Spain.

ETC-LUSI is part of the European Environmental Information and Observation Network (EIONET) and a support to other Eionet partners. The activities have an important component on networking with various experts in the member countries on data harmonisation, quality issues and exchange of data. ETC-LUSI assists countries in discussing options for improving national information systems related to the topic of land use and spatial information.

External links

• European Environment Agency website
• European Topic Centre on Land Use and Spatial Information (ETC LUSI)
• European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change(ETC/ACC)
• Model Documentation System (MDS)
• The European Environment Agency's near real-time ozone map (ozoneweb)
• EnviroWindows.

See also

• Agencies of the European Union
• Compilation of atmospheric dispersion models
• Confederation of European Environmental Engineering Societies
• Coordination of Information on the Environment
• European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)