Environment: Eco-management and audit scheme EMAS, voluntary participation by organisations (amend. regul. 1836/93/EEC)

PURPOSE: to allow the voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS). COMMUNITY MEASURE: Regulation 761/2001/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council. CONTENT: The Regulation establishes a Community eco-manangement and audit scheme allowing voluntary participation by organisations, hereafter referred to as 'EMAS', for the evaluation and improvement of the environmental performance of organisations and the provision of relevant information to the public and other interested parties. The objective of the EMAS shall be to promote continual improvements in the environmental performance of organisations by a number of means. EMAS shall be open to the participation of any organisation dedicated to improving its overall environmental performance. The Regulation sets out the procedure to be followed to be registered under EMAS. Member States shall establish a system for the accreditation of independent environmental verifiers and for the supervision of their activities. To this end, Member States may either use existing accreditation institutions or the competent bodies referred to in the Regulation or designate or set up any other body with an appropriate status. Within 3 months of the entry into force of this Regulation, each Member State shall designate the competent body responsible for carrying out the tasks provided for in this Regulation. Other provisions in the Regulation include registration of organisations, list of registered organisations and environmental verifiers, logo, relationship with European and international standards and the relationship with other environmental legislation in the Community. ENTRY INTO FORCE: 27.04.2001.�