The EUROPARC Policy Advisory Group (PAG) is confirmed by policy experts from the EUROPARC membership. Their task is to support implementation of the EUROPARC Federation Policy and Advocacy Strategy to 2030. The PAG enriches the capacity of the Directorate in development of policy and EUROPARC policy positions by providing advice, insights and expertise across different policy areas. The PAG contributes to identify priorities and policy areas that require particular attention, taking into account EUROPARC members’ perspectives and needs. It contributes to strengthening the connection between policy thematic areas and Protected Area management practices.
Get to know the members of the PAG!
Jan-Hendrik Faßbender (Germany) is Head of Department of Regional Development, Tourism and Economy in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Black Forest. He has a long working experience in the Reserve. He works with sustainable regional development and sustainable tourism as well as with rural mobility issues. His background is in forestry and regional and economic development. He works to conserve nature by using nature.
Michael Hošek (Czechia) is President of EUROPARC Federation and has a long working experience in state administration and especially in implementation of EU Nature Directives in the Czech Republic. At the moment, he works as a consultant. His areas of expertise are the EU Nature Directives, governance and management effectiveness of protected areas. Michael feels that policy work is a priority for EUROPARC.
Henrik Jansson (Finland) is Executive Director of Metsähallitus, Parks & Wildlife Finland which is a national level organisation. He has a long working experience in the organisation including in cultural heritage, outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism as well as in several leadership roles. His expertise is the insight into a national level organisation and into an organisation that manages a network of conservation areas as well as how European-level policies affect a national organisation.
Marjorie Jouen (France) is with Jacques Delors Institute. She is part of the policy advisory group of the Federation of Regional Nature Parks in France. She has a long working experience in France and European administrations. Her areas of expertise are regional parks and regional and local governance.
Tit Potočnik (Slovenia) is Director of Triglav National Park in Slovenia. He has a long working experience in various fields including police and security, law and banking. He hopes to establish a new financing mechanism at an EU level as money is needed to achieve nature conservation objectives. He has strong experience in cooperation with other fields, e.g. the energy sector.
Félix Romero (Spain) is Vice President of EUROPARC Spain. He has a forestry background and has a long working experience with WWF, Forest Stewardship Council and the private sector. He was Director General of Castilla-La Mancha Region in Spain. He has experience in cooperation with other sectors and corporate responsibility issues as well as with ecosystem services.
Ignace Schops (Belgium) is Director of of the Regionaal Landschap Kempen en Maasland (RLKM). He is also a former President of EUROPARC. He is a biodiversity and herpetology expert with vast knowledge of European and international policy issues through his work e.g. as a member of the Climate Leadership Corps of Al Gore, and as a full member of the EU chapter of the Club of Rome.
Erika Vaida-Bela (Romania) is Conservation Director of the Propark Foundation for Protected Areas. She is WCPA Regional Vice-Chair for Europe of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA). She is also a former President of EUROPARC. She has extensive experience in many areas related to Protected Areas, including capacity building and management planning for Protected Areas, amongst others.