UNEP Brussels Office
Established in April 2001, the Brussels Office works closely with the European Union (EU) institutions to increase policy dialogue and build strategic partnerships that fulfil the organizations’ shared goals.
UNEP has a strong and long-standing partnership with the European Commission both on a policy level, and on programmatic cooperation, based on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The MoU first signed with the European Commission in 2004, and renewed in 2014, tackles issues such as international environmental governance, sustainable finance, circular economy, healthy oceans and biodiversity. The priority areas are specified in the Annex, which has been renewed in 2020. The revised Annex outlines the common areas for further cooperation, with a view to support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promote the alignment of initiatives with relevant multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), including the Paris Agreement, ensure the follow-up and implementation of relevant resolutions and decisions of the United Nations Environment Assembly, and contribute to mainstreaming the priority actions identified in the European Green Deal into the global environment agenda, notably the zero pollution ambition, the biodiversity strategy, the farm to fork strategy, circular economy, the climate change neutrality and digital transformation for sustainability. It also aims at scaling up cooperation between the Partners in the identified areas, in view of the green and inclusive recovery efforts to address the global crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the growing and increasingly acute planetary emergencies.
The Office has close working relations with the European External Actions Service, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the EU Presidency. The team also cooperates with the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions, the Joint Research Centre, the European Investment Bank, the European Environmental Agency and other institutions and stakeholders based in Brussels.
The Team in Brussels also supports overall UNEP efforts to raise public awareness on environmental issues. It regularly organises or contributes to discussions and events, bringing UNEP perspectives and expertise to the table, and coordinates UNEP contributions to major EU events, including the annual EU Green Week and the European Development Days.
Within the wider team of UN agencies in Brussels, UNEP is focal point for environment and climate change and coordinates joint engagement on the European Green Deal. The Brussels Office also contributes to joint UN advocacy and outreach initiatives, such as the yearly local celebrations of World Environment Day (5 June), the United Nations Day (24 October), and Ciné-ONU film screenings.
Through its Brussels-focused newsletter, UNEP Connect, the Office keeps readers informed about activities in Brussels and more generally UNEP’s work worldwide. You can join our mailing list here.
Since April 2019, the Office has been headed by Veronika Hunt Šafránková.
Contact Us :
Address : UN House, Boulevard du Régent 37-40, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
Tel: +32 2 - 213 30 50; unep-brussels@un.org
LINKS:
1,200 children descend on Belgian beach to fight marine litter
The European Commission and UNEP Strengthen Cooperation in Renewed Memorandum of Understanding
