ECO-MANAGEMENT AND AUDIT SCHEME - EMAS

EMAS REGULATION

What is EMAS Regulation?

Since its establishment, the guiding principles of the European Union have been oriented towards improving and safeguarding the quality of life of citizens: in this regard, the EMAS Regulation, issued by the EU Council, although with many operational points in common with the ISO path on Environmental Management, has its origins in the founding Treaty of the Union itself (Maastricht Treaty, Par.1 Art.175).

The EMAS Regulation EC/1221/2009 - Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, as also amended by Regulations (EU) 2017/1505 and 2018/2026, describes a voluntary Environmental Management System for public and private organizations that wish to commit to evaluating and improving their environmental performance. This Regulation involves a process of collecting environmental data and communicating it externally through the preparation of an Environmental Statement, validated by an accredited environmental verifier. The process allows, at its conclusion, the Registration of the organization in the EMAS Organizations Register updated at the European level.

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what are the process steps for emas verification?

The verification process, involves:

  • submission of the environmental statement to Bureau Veritas Certification Hellas
  • a documentation review which includes the review of the environmental statement

  • a certification audit consisted of:

    Stage I audit
    Bureau Veritas evaluates company’s readiness for a stage II audit through an initial assessment of various criteria such as company’s understanding of the requirements, the scope of its management system and its internal audit systems. If the company is already certified against ISO 14001, then this step is skipped.
    Stage II audit
    The auditor reviews the established management system and provides a detailed report of findings, including nonconformities, observations and opportunities for improvement where relevant. This stage includes the verification of compliance with the EMAS requirements and verification of the environmental statement.
     

  • initial decision: After completion of all necessary audits, Bureau Veritas conducts an impartial review of findings and decides whether or not to proceed with the validation of the environmental statement.  An attestation is issued, in accordance with EMAS regulation template.
  • submission by the company of the environmental statement to the Authorized Body –Ministry of the Environment, that verifies if the company fulfils the criteria for registration and records the company in the EMAS register.
  • surveillance audit: updated environmental statement is verified at least annually (every 12 months).
  • a full verification of the environmental statement is conducted at least every 36 months.
  • a special audit – please refer to certification process tab.
  • suspension, withdrawal cancellation or restoration of the validation – please refer to certification process tab.

After the validation of the Environmental Statement, the applicant can submit the EMAS Registration application to the National Competent Authority. Once the Registration is obtained, the organization receives a number that identifies it in the European Register and is entitled to use the EMAS logo in its communications, as a guarantee of a planned and systematic attention to the environment.

FAQ - Frequently asked questions about the EMAS Regulation

  • What should the Environmental Statement indicate for the EMAS regulation?

    The Environmental Statement must describe what is required by Annex IV, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2018/2026, i.e. the results achieved compared to the set environmental objectives and indicate how the organization plans to continuously improve its environmental performance. It must present not only environmental data, but also clear and accessible information on activities and the state of the environment. The Environmental Statement is one of the main elements of difference with the requirements of the ISO 14001 standard.

  • If our organization is already certified for ISO 14001, are there any advantages or simplifications in the EMAS registration process?

    The EMAS requirements go beyond ISO 14001. Organizations already certified to ISO 14001 can be verified for the additional EMAS requirements only, avoiding any possible repetition of on-site verification activities.