Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/2026 of 19 December 2018 amending Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS) (Text with EEA relevance.)
Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/2026of 19 December 2018amending Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS)(Text with EEA relevance)THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS), repealing Regulation (EC) No 761/2001 and Commission Decisions 2001/681/EC and 2006/193/ECOJ L 342, 22.12.2009, p. 1., and in particular Article 48 thereof.Whereas:(1)An eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS) has been established under Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009. The objective of EMAS is to promote continuous improvements in the environmental performance of organisations by the establishment and implementation of environmental management systems by organisations, evaluation of the performance of such systems, provision of information on environmental performance, an open dialogue with the public and other interested parties and the active involvement of employees. To achieve this objective, Annexes I to IV to that Regulation set out specific requirements to be observed by those organisations wishing to participate in EMAS and obtain EMAS registration.(2)Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 sets out the requirements on environmental reporting. That Annex should be amended to address improvements identified in the light of experience gained in the operation of EMAS. Given the number and nature of these amendments, it is appropriate to replace Annex IV in its entirety in the interests of clarity.(3)Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 should therefore be amended accordingly.(4)Organisations registered under EMAS are required either to prepare or update an environmental statement in accordance with Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 on a yearly basis. Except in the case of small organisations exempted under Article 7 of that Regulation, the environmental statement or updated environmental statement has to be validated by an accredited or licensed environmental verifier as part of the verification of that organisation in accordance with Article 18 of that Regulation. Organisations preparing for registration under EMAS are also required to submit a validated environmental statement as part of their application for registration. A transitional period is therefore needed to provide organisations with sufficient time to address the transition to the changes made by this Regulation.(5)The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established by Article 49 of Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009,HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: