Become a Topic Centre Organisation and engage with the EEA

As specified in the EEA-Eionet founding Regulation EEA member countries may identify the institutions or other organisations established in their territory which could be specifically entrusted with the task of cooperating with the EEA as regards certain topics of particular interest. As of January 2023, there are seven European Topic Centres working with the EEA and national Eionet partners on biodiversity and ecosystems; circular economy and resource use; climate adaptation and LULUCF; climate change mitigation; data integration and digitalisation; human health and the environment; and sustainability transitions.

The EEA Management Board started the process towards the designation of new Topic Centre Organisations (TCOs) for 2027 through to 2030, seeking to ensure that the next generation of Topic Centres will be fit for purpose to support the EEA in the evolving policy and organisational landscape.

To that end, a Management Board Advisory Committee was established to guide the new Topic Centre design process based on an EEA proposal for a three-step model consisting of:

1. Decentralised identification by Eionet representatives in EEA member countries based on defined eligibility criteria.
2. Simplified regular designation by the EEA Management Board without requiring pre-formed consortia.
3. Agile contracting whereby the EEA may use a broader mix of contractual arrangements, including performance-based models.

In December 2025, the EEA Management Board decided to adopt the implementing rules for the designation of Topic Centres as part of the European Environment Information and Observation Network (Eionet) for the period 2027 – 2030. The Management Board also designated the first list of Topic Centre Organisations for this. The first list only includes organisations from 12 countries that volunteered to help test the new Topic Centre establishment cycle.

Below you will find an overview of the Establishment cycle and the Contracting cycle. The Establishment cycle will be repeated twice in 2026 and after that on an annual basis. The contracting cycle will be launched depending on needs. Please see Contracting opportunities below for more information.

To become a designated TCO, an individual organisation must indicate its interest in the call by contacting the Eionet representative in the country where it is based. In doing so, the organisation becomes a prospective TCO and initiates the process to become a designated TCO via the Establishment cycle. Being a designated TCO means that the organisation has been designated by the EEA Management Board and therefore included in the list of designated Topic Centre Organisations. Once designated as a TCO, the EEA has the possibility to enter into contractual agreements with the organisation. However, being designated does not entail any obligation on the EEA to enter contractual arrangements with the TCO. It is the legal prerequisite which needs to be in place to conclude contracts.  

If you are an institution or organisation established in one of the EEA member countries, you are eligible to participate in the upcoming designation phase.

To be designated as a TCO, an organisation must demonstrate that it meets the eligibility criteria outlined in the guidelines.

The timeline above indicates the important milestones for the second Establishment cycle running in the first half of 2026. Learn more about the process by reading the guideline linked above.

A third call for expressions of interest for the establishment of a list of TCOs to be designated by the EEA Management Board is anticipated between 1 May and mid-July to provide an additional opportunity for organisations to become Topic Centre Organisations.

Below you will find an overview and contact information on Eionet representatives from the 32 countries eligible to participate in the call.

To engage with contract opportunities in the second half of 2026, we strongly encourage organisations to participate in the second Establishment cycle (deadline 31 March 2026) to ensure designation prior to the deadline for the relevant contracting opportunity. Please see ‘How to become a Topic Centre Organisation (TCO)’ for more information on the second Establishment cycle and how to apply.

• EEA MB 2025 031 Decision on Implementing rules for designation of Topic Centres
• Guideline for Organisations
• Designated 2025 TCOs
• List of anticipated contracting opportunities 2026