History and achievements
History of IEEP
Founded in 1976, by Konrad von Moltke, IEEP has had a presence in several European countries, advising generations of experts and policymakers since the very beginning of European environmental legislation. IEEP continues this tradition today with offices in Brussels and London, covering the continent of Europe. Independent and evidence-based, IEEP provides strategic intelligence and research on how Europe can mobilise environmental policy as a driver of competitiveness, resilience, and innovation.
From the Common Agricultural Policy to water pollution control, from nature restoration to the development of sustainable finance standards and climate resilience pathways, IEEP’s work has been instrumental in informing the founding environmental principles, policies and laws in both the European Union and its member states, which have provided inspiration and leadership globally.
Organisational history
Antoine Oger is appointed Executive Director of IEEP EU
Ben Reynolds is appointed Executive Director of IEEP UK
Eero Yrjö-Koskinen becomes IEEP EU Executive Director
Kaley Hart is appointed Executive Director of IEEP UK
Ben Allen is appointed as IEEP EU Interim Executive Director
Brussels office established as IEEP head office.
Céline Charveriat was appointed as Executive Director.
Brussels office opened
David Baldock appointed as Executive Director
Nigel Haigh, establishes the London office, later becoming IEEP director
The first director, Konrad von Moltke, opened offices in Paris; he is succeeded by Ernst von Weizsaecker
IEEP was founded in Bonn, Germany, by the European Cultural Foundation.
Selected achievements
IEEP UK hosts the first public meeting since Brexit between the EU Environment Commissioner and UK Minister to discuss collaboration on circular economy.
IEEP UK recommendations for UK alignment with selected EU policy adopted with UK-EU Reset agreement for alignment on pesticides, linking of Emissions Trading Schemes, and end of 2025 Environmental Improvement Plan commitment to align with selected air quality targets and chemicals regulation.
IEEP played a significant role in the adoption of Cross-compliance within the Common Agricultural Policy over a considerable period, publishing an early report on the concept and potential application in Europe in 1995, working in detail with the Commission on the potential scope and nature of the legislation eventually adopted in 2023.
IEEP’s analysis, engagement and influencing programme to strengthen the sustainability of fisheries policies and the Common Fisheries Policy since the 1990s, helped to change the policy and redirect EU funds away from damaging investments, with a major first step achieved with the 2022 reform of the CFP.
Launch of the IEEP UK Divergence Tracker and Hub, to track, analyse and take action on divergence in environmental regulation between the EU and the UK and across the 4 nations/administrations of the UK.
IEEP was one of the first to set out how “core environmental standards” affecting agri-foods could be applied in UK trade agreements informing the work of WWF, the Climate Change Committee, the Joint Research Centre and others.
IEEP created “Think Sustainable Europe” the first network of environmental and international think tanks engaging with and monitoring the progress of the EU’s Green Deal, with bi-annual Think 2030 conferences.
Work on the case for new EU legislation on nature restoration, contributing directly by drafting and technical support to the Commission on key parts of the Nature Restoration Law, directly influencing the outcome.
IEEP wins Prospect Think Tank award for its analysis of the potential environmental impacts of a Brexit decision, using different post-Brexit scenarios.
Assisted in the creation of Greener UK. Identification of the gap in environmental governance post-Brexit, resulting in the Environment Act and creation of the Office for Environmental Protection in England.
EU Directive on Invasive Alien Species was adopted. IEEP played an important part in laying the foundations for this measure and accompanying impact assessment.
Better regulation agenda - IEEP influenced both Member States and EU policy, often helping to develop ideas for genuinely improving environmental law, including review of EU Sixth Environmental Action Plan.
Major IEEP study funded by DG Agri demonstrated how the concept of public money for public goods could be used as a rationale for agricultural support, notably under the CAP. This principle gained support amongst a range of experts, civil society and later, following Brexit, IEEP supported the process of making it the cornerstone of agricultural policy in England.
IEEP’s analysis of failings of the voluntary system of setting vehicle emissions rules for all EU manufacturers contributes directly to the introduction of mandatory legislation in 2007
IEEP climate team worked on advancing the European Climate Change programme, including the design of the Emissions Trading Scheme introduced in 2001
Over several decades, IEEP played a key role in the application of the EU Treaty principle of integration - that the environment should be integrated into the full range of other policies e.g. agriculture, fisheries, regional aid, trade and transport.
Production of the Manual of European Environmental Policy, updated annually, the ‘go-to’ resource on EU environmental legislation.
IEEP provided crucial analysis and evidence to establish and develop the environmental dimension of EU regional funds via the key amendments to the EU “Structural Funds” agreed in 1992. They became more important still for the environment following EU enlargement to the East.
Publication of ‘Integrated Pollution Control in Europe and North America’, influencing both EU and UK policy to move away from a traditional sectoral approach (water/air/land).
Creation of the UK National Rivers Authority (later merged into Environment Agency), taking into account the objections of IEEP to the initially planned privatisation of existing water authorities in contradiction to the EU Water Directives.
IEEP played a major role in helping accession countries adapt to EU membership and environmental laws. Initially, Greece, Spain and Portugal in the 1980s and then later Eastern and Central European countries in the 1990s and 2000s.
IEEP involved in Key Treaty amendments achieved for the environment in 2 stages a) environment legitimised in 'Single European Act 1987 ' and 'integration' of environment into other policies and b) introducing 'sustainability' into the Maastrict, and subsequent treaties.
Policy report published on the Precautionary Principle leading to its acceptance by the UK’s Department of the Environment and subsequent adoption into EU treaties.
Book EEC Environmental Policy and Britain – an essay and a handbook is the first attempt to analyse the impact of all EEC policy on one Member State. It evolved to become IEEP’s influential Manual of European Environmental Policy.
Salzburg conference and Declaration on ‘The Environment and Human Rights” which becomes embedded in the Aarhus convention.