The ENWAP User Forum
In the Environment Sector of the Telematics
Applications Programme (TAP-EN), specific
activities have been organised aimed at
disseminating the results of environmental
telematics projects (1994-1998) in the EU and CEE
countries where several telematics application
projects are sited. The participation of CEE
countries was funded by the EU INCO programme
reserved for the assistance and support of third
countries and international organisations.This work was assisted by the ENWAP User Forum which was launched in May 1997. The Forum included actors from EU and CEE countries and promotes the exchange of information on issues such as common user requirements and best practice. The User Forum addressed potential users from both Eastern and Western European countries, focussing on the most relevant and common environmental issues in air and water pollution management.The user forum served as a platform to disseminate results accomplished in TAP-EN demonstration projects and other relevant programmes.
Under the ENWAP framework, the needs of CEE countries in telematics technologies and applications were identified and, as a consequence the potential future involvement of CEE countries in the TAP–EN Programme has been facilitated.
The ENWAP User Forum activities included meetings of the expert group, the work of each expert outside of the meetings and the preparation of the contents of a public user seminar at a special conference. The ENWAP Expert Group included selected experts in air and water pollution management, representing a range of end users (national and regional government, local authorities, research institutes, NGO's). The user organisations are potentially interested in the take-up of TAP-EN project outputs. A list of ENWAP experts is now available. The Expert Group has been the means of implementing the overall objectives of ENWAP activities. They have participated actively in different ENWAP meetings and, above all, they have contributed to the organisation as well as to the main contents of the DETERMINE conference, held in Budapest/Szentendre, June 1998. ENWAP experts chaired the different sessions of the conference and participated in the panel discussions within the Conference.
The work of the ENWAP User Forum has been to summarise common user requirements and best practice in order to exemplify innovative telematics strategies and tools. The principal purpose of this work has been to assist local and regional administrations to monitor the quality of,to provide public information on the state and evolution of the environment and, ultimately, to recommend actions to improve the environment.
Prior to the publication of this Good Practice Report the ENWAP Expert Group undertook the identification and specification of common user requirements in telematics applications (relevant for both the existing projects and non-participating users).This task was completed in September 1998 with the publication of the ENWAP User Forum Report "User requirements in air and water management systems", 1998.
Relevant information on the ENWAP activity are provided by the following web sites:
http://www.ceit.sk/wwwisis/enwap
http://www.trentel.org/environment
The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe
