Reference

Through its activities in the field of indoor human exposure and health, the ECA Network (coordinated and managed by the JRC/IHCP/PCE Unit): (a) provides scientific and technical reference for policy making in the EC, (b) contributes to the integration of research efforts in Europe, (c) ensures capacity building, knowledge dissemination and sharing in EU Member States, the Accession Countries and beyond (for example in 2001 China set up guidelines concerning formaldehyde emissions from wood based materials on the basis of the ECA Reports).

The creation and continuation of the ECA Network for 18 years has been deemed important for two main reasons: (a) there are no other similar scientific structures dedicated to indoor human exposure and health research for research on outdoor air or water quality. Therefore, research is fairly scattered and often performed by small groups in a wide range of different institutions; and (b) Indoor human exposure and health is a research issue which (more than any other) requires interdisciplinary collaboration.