About the Eionet

The Concept of an European Environment Information and Observation Network

Taking up its work in 1994, Eionet has become a well-known and trusted provider of high‑quality data, information and environmental assessments for Europe.
The concept of Eionet encompasses the following defining elements:

  • Strong institutional cooperation across national, regional, European, and international levels and partnerships with civil society, facilitated by a coordinating entity
  • Agreed common content — data, information, indicators, analysis
  • Shared infrastructure, standards and tools.

Member and cooperating countries

The EEA currently has 32 member countries and 6 cooperating countries. The 32 member countries include the 27 European Union Member States, together with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Türkiye. The 6 cooperating countries are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia as well as Kosovo (without prejudice to positions on status, and in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence)

For further information, see the pages under Countries on the main menu and the countries pages on the EEA main website

Eionet partners

Eionet partners are national environmental organisations nominated and funded by countries, which are authorised to be the main contact point for the EEA, other Eionet members, and relevant actors. A national focal point (NFP) institution coordinates the national Eionet network, consisting of various partner national institutions in order to support the implementation of the EEA work programme.

National Focal Points (NFPs)

The National Focal Points are the main contact points for the EEA in the member and cooperating countries. They are in charge of cooperation with the EEA and the ETCs and coordination national activities related to the EEA Multiannual Work Programme.

The working methods of NFPs differ from country to country. This partly reflects the diverse nature of the national environmental systems within which they are based. For example, some NFPs are located in environment agencies, others in environment ministries; some are in centralised national administrations, whereas others operate in decentralised, sometimes federal, systems.

NFPs maintain and develop the national network and facilitate and coordinate contacts, requests and deliveries at national and EU level. Some also act as advisers to their EEA's Management Board members and develop contacts to other relevant networks.

European Topic Centres (ETCs)

European Topic Centres (ETCs) are centres of thematic expertise contracted by the EEA to carry out specific tasks identified in the EEA Multiannual Work Programme and the annual work programmes. They are designated by the EEA Management Board following a Europe-wide competitive selection process and work as extensions of the EEA in specific topic areas. Each ETC consists of a lead organisation and specialist partner organisations from the environmental research and information community, which combine their resources in their particular areas of expertise. The ETCs, working together with Eionet countries, facilitate the provision of data and information from the countries and deliver reports and other services to the EEA and Eionet.

Eionet groups

Since 1st January 2022, there are 13 Eionet groups, working in the following areas:

  • Biodiversity and ecosystems - integration of knowledge for policies
  • Biodiversity and ecosystems - cumulative pressures and solutions
  • Circular economy and resource use
  • Climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation
  • Climate change mitigation and energy systems
  • Communications
  • Data, technologies and digitalisation
  • Food systems
  • Foresight
  • Human health and the environment
  • Land systems
  • Mobility systems
  • State of the environment