EMAS environmental management system; application for registration in the EMAS register
Companies can register for the EMAS environmental management system.
Description
The Community Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) is an instrument developed by the European Communities in 1993 for companies that want to continuously improve their environmental performance.
The advantage of an environmental management system is, on the one hand, that processes and procedures can be examined more closely, particularly with regard to resource consumption and waste/wastewater generation, and can thus be optimized, which regularly leads to cost savings. On the other hand, companies that are registered under the EMAS Regulation benefit from financial relief as well as relief in the enforcement of environmental law (e.g. relief in reporting and documentation obligations, monitoring or official controls - keyword: deregulation/substitution). In public tenders, EMAS can also be referred to as proof of technical performance. When awarding contracts to private companies, EMAS participation is also often viewed positively as proof of ecological management. EMAS is recognized both for tax relief when implementing the energy and electricity tax laws for peak compensation and for the special compensation scheme under the Renewable Energy Sources Act. Further advantages can arise in the case of insurance premiums as well as in the case of loans. This is because banks and insurance companies regard EMAS participation as a positive sign in the rating process that the likelihood of environmental damage is reduced.
To obtain EMAS registration, the company must set up an operational environmental management system in accordance with the EMAS Regulation and draw up a so-called environmental statement to inform the public about the environmental management system. An external independent environmental verifier checks whether the information in the environmental statement is correct and whether the other requirements according to the EMAS Regulation have been met. If this is the case, he declares the environmental statement valid (so-called validation). Validation is a prerequisite for registration in the EMAS register in accordance with the EMAS Regulation.
To make it easier for small and medium-sized companies to introduce EMAS, the EMAS Compass was developed as part of the Bavarian Environmental Pact. In a pilot project, small companies were accompanied step by step on their way to EMAS. The working materials (manual) developed and tested in the process, as well as experience and assistance from the project, are available free of charge to all interested companies in Bavaria via a video blog for the independent introduction of EMAS.
Prerequisites
The following are prerequisites for entry in the site register
- confirmation from an accredited environmental auditor that the requirements of the EMAS Regulation have been met,
- as well as an application to the Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Munich and Upper Bavaria or to the Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Nuremberg for Middle Franconia (for companies from Middle Franconia and from the district of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Upper Franconia Bayreuth); handicraft enterprises contact the Chamber of Handicrafts for Munich and Upper Bavaria.
Procedure
The registration bodies check the submitted documents, notify the competent district administrative authority of the registration applied for and give the latter the opportunity to comment. If the enforcement authorities do not comment negatively within four weeks, the organization is assigned a registration number and this is entered in the EMAS register. With the entry in the register, the organization is entitled to use the EMAS logo as long as the registration exists.
Special notes
The systematic environmental protection of Bavarian companies - environmental management systems - and continuous improvements in corporate environmental performance are at the heart of the Bavarian Environmental Pact. Within this framework, the Free State of Bavaria promotes with the Bavarian Environmental Management and Audit Program (BUMAP) companies with headquarters or branch offices in Bavaria, which are organized in project groups and want to introduce an environmental management system (EMAS, ISO 14001, QuB or ÖKOPROFIT). Further information can be found under "Related topics".
Deadlines
The process from joining EMAS to establishing an environmental management system and writing an environmental statement takes about one year. According to the regulation, environmental statements must be prepared at intervals of three years at the longest
Required documents
-
Description of the organisation and all associated sites
-
validated environmental statement
-
signed declaration of the environmental verifier (Art. 25 para. 9 in connection with Annex VII of Regulation 1221/2009)
Fees
Costs are incurred for the environmental audit by the external environmental auditor and for registration in the EMAS register.
For the fees of the Chambers of Industry and Commerce, please refer to the fee tariff (annex to the fee schedule) of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
Links to more information
Status: 12.10.2022
Responsible for editing: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz
- Online transactions, Bavaria-wide
- Online transactions, locally limited
- Prefillable Form, Bavaria-wide
- Legal bases, Bavaria-wide
- Legal bases, locally limited
- Fees, Bavaria-wide
- Fees, locally limited
If you select a location under "Localization" the contact details of the responsible authority and, if applicable, locally valid information will be displayed.