ASSURRE to cease operations from 1st May 2007

Since it came into being in 2000, ASSURRE has developed an excellent track record in ensuring that the voice of leading edge companies, progressive sectoral associations and active local government agencies have been heard and listened to by the environmental policy makers both within and beyond the EU's borders.

From the complex, yet very real down to earth issues in the waste management arena ranging from end of life products, treatment processes, and environmental technologies to the overarching debates of natural resource use, sustainable consumption and production and the implications for energy policy and the emerging carbon reduction agenda - ASSURRE has been present to help the European Commission in their attempts to develop new and far reaching policies.

ASSURRE has also worked to support the legislators in the European Parliament and the Council to shape and adopt efficient regulatory proposals whose implementation in the 27 highly diverse Member States will lead to improved environmental practice at all stages of resource use, while being economically affordable, and providing value to society in both today's and tomorrow's EU.

Trying to deliver sound and objective knowledge-based input to these debates does not come cheap however, and the Board of Directors has reluctantly concluded that future funding for ASSURRE is not sufficient to allow us to continue with the present organization, which will be closed at end of April.

Bill Duncan who has led ASSURRE since its start up will shortly be opening his own company (advizors.eu.com), providing advocacy, representation, expert insight and strategic counselling centred on ASSURRE's traditional core areas of influence.

Katarina Molin and Christèle Baïer will be moving on to new, and we hope, rewarding pastures. Their professional and personal qualities should ensure them a satisfactory future career path beyond ASSURRE.

We have all collaborated to build many bridges and networks of friends and colleagues, and we value those tremendously. Inclusive politics has always been a hallmark of the ASSURRE approach.

Please keep in touch.

From 1st May 2007:
Bill Duncan - bill.duncan@advizors.eu  (from 1st June 07) - tel: 0475 940 169
Katarina Molin - katarina.molin@rocketmail.com  - tel: 0473 928 132
Christèle Baïer - christele.baier@versateladsl.be  - tel: 0479 840312