European activities

Within the context of the European Union, Ispra fulfill its reporting obligations provided by the Community legislation (Directives and Regulations) with the transmission of information, data and reports to the European Commission and with the participation in European working groups.

ISPRA cooperates with the European Environment Agency (EEA) and with the Statistical Office of the European Union (EUROSTAT), as well as with international organizations active in the field of environmental protection. In particular, the National Focal Point of EIONET, the European environment information and observation network of the AEA, responsible for the overall coordination of the National Reference Centres (NRC), as well as partner of some European thematic centers of the same agency, the ETC/BD (European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity) and the ETC/SIA (European Topic Centre on Spatial Information and Analysis) .

In the context of relations with EUROSTAT, ISPRA participates in the Directory Meeting of Environmental Statistics and Environmental Accounting, the Working Group on Sustainable Development Indicators , the Working Group and the Working Group on Waste agri-environmental indicators . He collaborated in the collection and processing of environmental information specifically requested and required in order to fulfill specific legal obligations , processes waste statistics , and prepares the mandatory report on the quality of data in compliance with Regulation 2150/2002/CE .

ISPRA is also working with ISTAT for the production of statistics on Land Cover and Land cover change and transmission to EUROSTAT .

In collaboration with the Ministry of Education , ISPRA participates in the activities of the European Committee for GMES , the EU initiative on Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security - GMES) . He also participates in the National Committee and the European Forum for users of GMES.

With regard to the participation in expert groups at EU level , was the contribution of ISPRA within the Expert Group on Soil Sealing of DG Environment for development of the technical document " Overview of best practices for limiting soil sealing or mitigating its effects in EU -27 . "

In the field of Communication, ensures the Italian representation in the European Green Spider Network (GSN) of DG Environment of the European Commission for communication and environmental information .

The Institute participates in the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC ) and its Working Groups / ad hoc Initiatives (Ecological Status , River Basin Management Plan , Groundwater , Reporting and GIS Drafting Group , Climate Change and Water , Floods , Science and Policy Interface, Chemical Aspects) . Directive 2000/60/EC provides that Member States are obliged to protect, enhance and restore all bodies of surface water in order to achieve good surface water status within fifteen years after the entry into force of the Directive itself. The results obtained in the United States as part of their monitoring systems and classification were compared through an intercalibration process into two phases: the first , completed in 2008 and the second , which ended in 2011. Specifically , the Institute has coordinated the Mediterranean Geographical Intercalibration Group ( GIG Med ) , for coastal waters and transition , in the second phase of the intercalibration exercise .

With regard to the implementation of the Framework Directive on the Strategy for the Marine Environment , ISPRA participates in the following working groups Community : GES ( Good Environmental Status) , ESA (Economic and Social Assessment) , DIKE ( Data Information and Knowledge Exchange) and the two subgroups GES : Marine litter and Underwaternoise .

ISPRA represents Italy in the ORNIS Committee and its Scientific Working Group ( SWG ORNIS ) of DG Environment of the Commission for the implementation of the European Directive "Birds" .

In the European context , ISPRA is a member of the EPA Network, the informal network of Directors of the European environmental agencies , chaired by the European Agency for the Environment, a forum for the exchange of views and experiences on issues of common interest on the implementation of environmental policies in Europe. Attend Interest Group such as: Green Economy , Natural Resources Activities, Climate Change and Adaptation , Better Regulation , Noise.

ISPRA is also a member ENCA Network, this an informal network of Directors of the European Agencies for Conservation of Nature, with the main intention to strengthen the conservation of nature in Europe through cooperation among the member countries . Attend Interest Group such as: Climate change adaptation , Sustainable Land Use and Agriculture , Monitoring and Assessment.

ISPRA , as the Geological Survey of Italy , is a member of EuroGeoSurveys , the European organization which brings together the Geological Surveys of 33 European countries for the promotion of the contribution of geosciences to EU policies through the creation of a network between the geological services . An official of ISPRA has been selected to fill the post of Secretary General of the Organization. The Institute also participates in the Expert Group on Spatial Information INSPIRE Directive (European Directive establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community).

ISPRA organizes and coordinates national activities in the field EURING (European Union for Bird Ringing ), an association for the promotion of research based on the marking of birds , participating in the common database and maintenance of the information system EPE ( Euring Protocol Engine ) .

Still in the European participates in the work of the Working Party on International Environmental Issues of the Council of the European Union ( WPIEI ) , participates in the IMPEL (European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law) of which he is a member along with MATTM which plays the role of the National Coordinator , and the Berne Convention for the conservation of flora and fauna.

ISPRA , as National Nuclear Safety Authority , is a member of WENRA West European Nuclear Regulators Association and the Group of regulatory control bodies ENSREG (EC) European Nuclear Safety Regulator Group.

The institute provides the duties relating to the control of nuclear materials under the Euratom Treaty by participation in enforcement actions under applicable regulations of the Treaty.

In the field of nuclear emergencies , ISPRA participates in ECURIE (European Community Urgent Radiological Information Exchange) , made by the European Commission under Council Decision 87/600/EURATOM . The system, which is the instrument for the rapid exchange of information between EU countries in case of nuclear accidents, which sees the ISPRA National Contact Point for the transmission of alarm notifications and technical support organization to the competent authority established by the Department of Civil Protection of the PCM .

In this context , ISPRA participates in the platform EURDEP (European Radiological Data Exchange Platform) for the sharing of data transmitted in real time by the national networks of radiological monitoring , providing data of its network of radiological monitoring , network RANGE .

ISPRA represents Italy in the platform ENSEMBLE intercomparison of forecasts , that each country produces , the evolution in Europe of a radioactive cloud emitted following a nuclear accident.

The Institute participates in international exercises promoted by the European Commission , often in collaboration with other bodies retrieved by the national response to nuclear emergencies .

Also as part of the management of nuclear emergencies and cooperation in nuclear safety, Ispra has signed bilateral agreements with similar agencies of neighboring countries : the Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire (ASN) , the French , the Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) in Switzerland and the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration (SNSA) for Slovenia. These reports are aimed at the rapid exchange of information in the event of accidental events possibly involving nuclear facilities in these countries .

Additionally, pursuant to the bilateral agreement between Italy and Switzerland , the Centre National Operations Centre (CENAL) Swiss is constantly connected with the Operations Room in Ispra .

Within the scope of the environmental risk assessment of chemicals, ISPRA provides support to the Ministry of Health, which Competent Authority for the implementation of the REACH Regulation , through participation in the work of the Committees ECHA European Chemicals Agency chemical : the Member State Committee (MSC) , the Committee for Risk Assessment ( RAC ) and socio-Economic Analysis Committee (SEAC ) .

In accordance with the Euratom Treaty ( European Atomic Energy Community ) , 1956 ISPRA is entrusted with the technical coordination of the national network for the surveillance of environmental radioactivity ( RESORAD ) . For ISPRA is also entrusted with the responsibility of collecting the data products and their transmission to the European Commission . The network is made ​​up of regional and provincial agencies to protect the environment and institutions, bodies and agencies suitably equipped.