ENPE 10-year anniversary event 29-30 September 2022, The Hague, Netherlands

The European Network of Prosecutors for the Environment, ENPE was established as an informal network of prosecutors in September 2012, in Brussels, Belgium with 8 members representing prosecuting organisations from 7 different European countries. Since then, we have enjoyed steady but significant growth, including expansion beyond Europe to include member organisations from Latin America and North Africa, to become a registered international non-profit association with 59 organisation and individual members, representing 35 different countries. We are a network focussed on providing practical operational support to prosecutors fighting environmental crime through the commitment and hard work of our members. 

Key milestones along our journey include the formal incorporation of ENPE, by Royal Decree, as a registered 'association internationale sans-but lucratif' (aisbl) in Brussels, Belgium in September 2016; the completion of the EU LIFE programme-funded 'LIFE-ENPE' project in 2020, and the convening and hosting of joint annual conferences in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 attended, collectively, by over 500 delegates in total.

This month, we are delighted to be celebrating another important milestone - our 10-year anniversary, which will comprise a liaison meeting with colleagues from the United States Department of Justice, European Commission, Eurojust and Europol with a focus on addressing cross-border environmental crime and a separate wider meeting with the same organisations including our ENPE members and observers to reconvene our specialist ENPE Working Groups and set our course for the next three years. We are also hosting a celebratory dinner for members and invited guests, and will hold our annual Annual General Meeting, all over a two day period from the 29-30 September 2022 in The Hague, Netherlands.

As well as acknowledging the hard work from our membership in preparing and delivering training, producing guidance and hosting workshops and seminars over the last 10 years, we are also grateful to our wider stakeholder network for your continued interest and support in our work. We appreciate it very much.