In 1991, directors of leading European environmental research institutes recognized that the establishment of the single market would require a collective European approach in the development of environmental regulations, monitoring standards and abatement technology. Accordingly, it was decided to establish ENERO as a network of European RTOs that could support this European project. ENERO (European Network of Environmental Research Organisations), was created in 1992, and is a non-profit association under the French law.
With time, the expertise of ENERO in environmental science and technology has evolved, and some members have joined or left the network, depending of their national research strategies and subsequent public funding resources. New research topics have been developed, like environment and health, risk management of emerging technologies like nano-materials or new energy vectors like hydrogen, around a core of expertise remaining basically the reference for excellence since 25 years.