2005 - Communicating the Pan-European Ecological Network - ECNC

Pan European Biological and Landscape Diversity StrategyAssessment of the Pan European Biological and Landscape Diversity StrategyAssessment of thestrengths and weaknessesof the legislation/policy insupport of PEENAssessment ofCommunication,Education, Participationand Awareness (CEPA)requirements or activities insupport of PEENPEBLDS forms the direct basis of PEEN. It is further supported throughthe Kyiv Action Plans from the ‘Environment for Europe’ ministerial meetingin Kyiv 2003.There is a specific Kyiv Action plan on promoting Communication,Education, Participation and Awareness. It urges countries to developtheir own CEPA strategies and to actively involve the general public.Review of Activities related to the implementation of PEEN on the international levelThe following groups and committees have been identified in the desk review as specific communicationactivities that come from the above international policies, which can have a direct or an indirect effect onthe implementation of PEEN.Habitats CommitteeThe Habitats Committee consists of national experts and is the mechanism through which the MemberStates are involved in the policy processes concerning the Habitats Directive. It operates under the directionof the Commission through DG Environment.Ornis CommitteeThe Ornis Committee is the twin of the Habitats Committee, it also consists of national experts and servesas input to the Commission on matters concerning the Birds Directive.Biodiversity Expert GroupThe Biodiversity Expert Group provides input to the European Commission on biodiversity matters relatingto the EU Biodiversity Strategy. It consists of Commission representatives, biodiversity Member Staterepresentatives and representation of experts from NGOs etc.Communicating Natura 2000 Working GroupThe Communicating Natura 2000 Working Group was set up by the nature and biodiversity department ofDG Environment. It involves European Member State representatives and European NGOs. The groupworks on Communicating Natura 2000 throughout the European Member states. It works on awarenessrising through the Natura 2000 network and provides the opportunity for Member States to raise communicationissues.Strategy Council PEBLDS (indicate the direct relationship between PEBLDS and PEEN)The Council of the Pan-European Strategy is the decision-making body and is composed of representativesof all 54 States involved in the "Environment for Europe" process. Since 1998 it meets every year, andprior to that date every two years.Strategy Bureau PEBLDSThe Bureau consists of representation of governments with the support of the Joint Secretariat. A numberof NGOs are represented as observers. At the PEBLDS Council in March 2000, it was decided to form anenlarged Bureau composed of the members of the Bureau plus two representatives of EU member states,two representatives of central and east European countries, two representatives of the group of western70