RIVM conducts research into public health and environmental issues in the Netherlands. It also operates as the Office for Environmental Assessment. RIVM conducts research commissioned by the ministries of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS), Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM) and Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries (LNV). Policymakers use RIVM research findings to develop, implement and enforce policy. RIVM not only conducts research itself, but gathers data from all over the world, which it then interprets and applies.