EMAS Regulation
(CE/1221/2009)
What is the EMAS regulation?
The first EMAS regulation, No. 1836, was issued in 1993 and replaced in 2001 by Regulation No. 761, which was in turn revised and replaced in 2009 by the new Regulation No. 1221. The new regulation repeals EC Regulation No. 761/2001 and Commission Decisions 2001/681/EC and 2006/193/EC.
Companies and organisations , both public and private, based within the European Community or outside it, who wish to commit to evaluating and improving their environmental efficiency can voluntarily join the Community Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) .
EMAS, as an important instrument of the action plan “Sustainable Consumption and Production” and “Sustainable Industrial Policy”, aims to:
- promote the continuous improvement of the environmental performance of organizations through the establishment and application of environmental management systems
- systematically, objectively and periodically evaluate the performance of such systems
- provide information on environmental performance
- maintain an open dialogue with the public and other interested parties
- actively involve the staff of the organizations concerned with adequate training.
How do I get EMAS regulation certification?
Our experts have the experience to make the process as smooth as possible and ensure that your company gets the most benefits. The process begins with a request for certification by the organization, continues with the selection of the audit team and the planning of the on-site audits. The audits include distinct phases:
■ initial audit
■ documentary audit of the Environmental Declaration
■ validation audit of the Environmental Declaration
After drafting the Environmental Declaration, the applicant can submit the EMAS Registration Application to the Competent National Authority . Once Registration has been obtained, the organization receives a number that identifies it in the European Register and has the right to use the EMAS
logo in its communications, an element of guarantee of planned and systematic attention to environmental issues.
Key Points
The Regulation provides for the obligation to:
- existence of an EMS, Environmental Management System (see ISO 14001)
- drafting an environmental analysis
- carrying out internal audits
- drafting of an Environmental Declaration (ED) and its validation (after verification) by an environmental verifier (accredited or authorised depending on the choice of the member country in which the registration takes place)
- official registration of the Competent Body (in Italy the Committee for Ecolabel and Ecoaudit – EMAS Section) in order to also obtain the use of the EMAS logo.
Verification means a conformity assessment procedure carried out by an environmental verifier in order to ascertain that the environmental analysis, the policy, the EMS, the internal environmental audit and its implementation comply with the provisions of 1221/2009 .
Validation means the confirmation , by the environmental verifier who carried out the verification, that the information, data contained in the updated DA and any additional environmental information are reliable , credible and correct and that they satisfy the provisions of Regulation 1221/2009.
Advantages
Adherence to the EMAS regulation allows:
- the internal reorganization and the consequent growth in efficiency
- cost reduction following a rationalization in the use of resources and the adoption of cleaner technologies
- the growth of employee motivation and participation, with a consequent reduction in internal conflicts
- the creation of a relationship of greater trust with the bodies responsible for environmental control and with those that issue authorisations
- reducing the likelihood of events that can cause damage to the environment
- increasing guarantees of compliance with environmental regulations
- the growth of technical-scientific knowledge and its use for the continuous improvement of environmental performance
- the reduction of bureaucratic burden (fast track) for EMAS member organizations
- increasing guarantees of access to financing for small businesses
- the increase in the asset value to ensure correct environmental management which enhances its evaluation.