This report prepared by Valerie Fogleman with assistance of Ecologic Institute examines and analyses financial security for liabilities under the Environmental Liability Directive (ELD) in Member States in which it is voluntary and those in which it is mandatory (the Czech Republic, Ireland, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain). It focuses on insurance because the vast majority of Member States have not introduced mandatory financial security for ELD liabilities.

On 15 October 2019 the experts' workshop within the context of the project "Improving Financial Security in the Context of the Environmental Liability Directive (ELD)" will take place in Brussels. The workshop will first offer an overview of the current situation of financial security for ELD liabilities in the Member States. The project team will then present options for financial security, which will be discussed in a World Café session in the afternoon, thus offering a chance for debate and exchange of ideas.

The 2016 REFIT Evaluation of the Environmental Liability Directive (ELD) showed that the national implementation is working to a much lower extent than could be expected and with a great variation between the Member States. Under the Multi-Annual Work Programme for the period 2017 to 2020, the European Commission promotes, among others, the availability of financial security across the EU. Supporting this objective, the project aims to enhance the evidence base in relation to the current situation in Member States.