Brussels, 04/05/2006 (Agence Europe) - Itself a defender of the Environmental Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) for the voluntary enhancement of environmental performance by applicant companies or organisations, the European Commission has received EMAS environmental certification for four of its departments.
The Secretariat General, the Directorate General (DG), Personnel and Administration, DG Environment and the Office for Infrastructure and Logistics in Brussels (OIB), which employ around 3,500, have been recognised for the positive effort they have made to limit the impact that their activities have on the environment and for diffusing their good environmental practice throughout the Commission. Some areas of OIB competence - such as accommodation of personnel, upkeep of buildings, the acquisition of supplies and services, and the management of waste and personnel mobility - have facilitated the diffusion of best environmental practice.
Evidence that environmental policies have worked can be seen in the reduced consumption of energy and paper (€500,000 in savings made on ink and paper in 2004), the constant increase in recycling and the increased use of public transport by its personnel to go to work.
Stavros Dimas, Environment Commissioner, said it is essential to “practice what we preach”. With the number of staff exceeding 25,000, the Commission can play a determining role and set the example, he said, saying he was pleased with what had already been accomplished but believes that much more can still be achieved. The Commission will take a stance during the year on how to extend the EMAS programme to all its departments.
The European Parliament, for its part, joined the system on 24 January with a view to acquiring EMAS certification also (see EUROPE 9117).
We recall that the Community Environmental Management and Audit Scheme was established by European Regulation 1836/93/EEC, the scope of which was initially restricted to industrial activity. The regulation was revised in 2001 (Regulation 761/2001/EC) to include all economic sectors, including public and private services. Businesses and firms that wish to take part in the scheme do so on a voluntary basis and undertake to comply with harmonised European standards developed to act as support for implementation of European environmental legislation. Companies or organisations that come into line with EMAS provisions may obtain EMAS certification, the official proof that they are managed in an environmentally-friendly manner.