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Founded in 1994, the European Environment Information and Observation Network — Eionet — is a well-known and trusted provider of high-quality data, information and sustainability assessments for Europe.

Eionet is the European Environment Agency partner network that supports the EEA work programme implementation. Together, the EEA and Eionet implement the EEA-Eionet Strategy for 2021-2030 to give EU policymakers and the public the best available knowledge to reach agreed environmental and sustainability targets.

Eionet members

Eionet consists of the EEA’s member and cooperating countries. The 32 member countries include the 27 European Union Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Türkiye. The six West Balkan countries are cooperating countries. These include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo.

Eionet is bringing together around 2,000 experts from more than 400 national institutions that have expertise in environmental issues.

What are Eionet's roles and functions?

The Eionet network has the following roles and functions:

1

National Focal Points

2

National Data Flow Coordination

3

Eionet Groups

4

European Topic Centres

National Focal Points (NFPs) are nominated and funded by countries to act as primary links between the EEA and their country. NFPs organise and develop their country’s Eionet network, as well as facilitate and coordinate contacts, requests and information delivery at national and EU levels. NFPs also advise EEA Management Board members.

Data reporting and data flows

By maintaining and coordinating key data flows, the EEA assists the European Commission to implement EU environmental legislation in EU Member States.

Data are often reported upwards (i.e. from stakeholder, to competent authority, to the EEA, to the Commission) and then reported to the European Parliament and Council. Monitoring ensures that laws achieve their intended objectives, and that all EU countries respect agreed rules and regulations. 

Eionet core data flows are a subset of existing data flows reported to the EEA via Reportnet tools. These are agreed upon by the Management Board and used by the EEA for assessments, products and services.

More about our data flows

More information