EMAS

The EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) was designed under the EU voluntary initiative, for organisations to evaluate, report and improve their environmental performance. This scheme was introduced to the industrial sector in 1995, and later opened to all sectors in 2001.

To be EMAS registered, organisations need to be legally compliant, implement an EMS (EMAS regulation uses ISO 14001 as its environmental management system since 2001) and report on their environmental performance through the publication of an independently verified environmental statement.

Read the full version of the EMAS Regulation:-

EMAS Regulation (EC) No 761/2001

Unlike ISO14001 or BS 7750, which are certifiable standards, EMAS has legal status within the EU Member States; it can take a more prescriptive approach to environmental management issues. For example, EMAS registered organisations are allowed to use the EMAS logo in transportation and tertiary packaging to communicate its environment compliance information to the customer and stakeholder according to the European Commission Decision 2006/193/EC.

Compared to ISO 14001 and BS7750, EMAS has further requirements to be validated for registration. Other than implementing an effective EMS, the organisations have to:-

  • demonstrate legal compliance;
  • commit to continual improvement of their environmental performance;
  • demonstrate an open dialogue with all stakeholders;
  • extend employee involvement to the process of continually improving the organisation’s environmental performance;
  • carry out audit and provide an environmental statement of the results.

For further information, refer to Europa Guide to Register for EMAS

This scheme would bring great impact to the business enterprises in the EU member states in the future if the legislation is further enforced, and market recognition on the EMAS product and service is emphasised. Thus, it is vital for the industry to consider participating in this scheme.

To encourage the participation of organisation especially the SMEs in this scheme, the European Commission had proposed to revise EMAS Regulations in July 2008. Among the measures proposed are:

  • Simplification of the procedure for cluster registration;
  • Reduction of registration fees for small organisations (SMEs and small public authorities);
  • The national authorities in Member States are obliged to identify areas where they can reduce administrative burden of EMAS registered organisations related to environmental regulation, e.g. less frequent renewal of environmental permit, etc.;
  • A process of regular consultations in Member States between EMAS Competent;
  • The national authorities have to consider and, where appropriate and without prejudice to the rules on state aid of the Treaty, introduce incentives from which EMAS registered organisations can benefit, such as access to funding or tax incentives in the framework of schemes supporting environmental performance of industry;
  • Rules for the use of EMAS logo are simplified and existing restrictions are removed.
Such amendments has reduced the administrative burden and created incentives, which could attract more SMEs to participate in this scheme and improve their sustainable development performance.

The proposal to revise EMAS can be read on:-

Proposal to revise EMAS Regulations