Brussels, 20/02/2001 (Agence Europe) - The regulation instituting new rules for the functioning of the Community environmental management and audit system (revised EMAS system that abrogates the initial regulation 1836/93) was formally adopted. The confirmation by the Council, then by the Parliament (see EUROPE of 16 February, p.14), of the agreement reached in conciliation on 22 November 2000, allowed for this breakthrough.
The modifications brought to the 1993 regulation do not bring into question the principal of voluntary participation by companies on which is based this system aimed at improving environmental performance. The main development are in: a) the extension of the scope of application to all activities susceptible of having an environmental impact; b) the integration, into the regulation's text, of the pertinent section of the European standard EN.ISO 14 001 as a tool to help with the implementation of the system; c) a more transparent system that reinforces the participation of actors thanks to the opportunity given to organisations to answer the public concerns with a more flexible environmental statement and the possibility of ensuring an annual follow-up of improvements within organisations; d) an increased credibility thanks to new requirements imposed on environmental auditors.
Margot Wallström, European Commissioner for the Environment welcomed the adopting of the regulation by stating, in a Communiqué: "the Community environmental management and audit system has been revised, widened and strengthened. All the economic actors and the public authorities who desire to bear witness to their genuine engagement in favour of an improvement of our environment will now be able to refer to the EMAS regulation. The companies that want to both integrate the environment into their activity, increase their economic viability and benefit from the confidence confided in them by the recognition of their environmental performances are invited to join the EMAS Club, which already counts more than 3,000 members".