History
The COMMON FORUM on Contaminated Land was initiated in Bonn, Germany in 1994. It started as an informal group of those from agencies in European countries who are involved with contaminated land and groundwater issues.
In 1996 COMMON FORUM gained a more formal status as initiators of the European Union funded CARACAS (Concerted Action on Risk Assessement for contaminated Sites in the European Union) concerted action on risk assessment for contaminated land. COMMON FORUM was the group of formal country representatives in CARACAS, and continued to support the subsequent CLARINET (Contaminated Land Rehabilitation Network) concerted action, which ended in 2001.
The publication of the CLARINET reports introducing “Risk Based Land Management” (RBLM) as a central concept in European contaminated land approaches illustrates that European Union wide harmonisation can arise at a strategic level if all stakeholders realise the benefits of this.
After the end of CLARINET, COMMON FORUM wanted to keep it’s central position in the soil protection and contaminated land discussion and succeeded due to the dedication of it’s members. The need for more continuity and for more effective engagement kept on growing since 2001.
Thus, a permanent secretariat has been proposed and adopted in 2005 on a basis of a 3-year period. At the meeting held in Rotterdam in February 2008, COMMON FORUM member organisations evaluated the secretariat. In deciding to continue the secretariat multinational project receiving annual financial support from members organisations, .
Being recognised as an important “stakeholder network” in the development of European soil and water policy, COMMON FORUM acts as a counterpart and in cooperation to the industry-lead contaminated land network NICOLE (Network of Industrially Contaminated Land in Europe) and represents the EU members states regulatory and policy-making community at ECs Expert Group on the implementation of the EU Soil Strategy for 2030.
