EMAS-VERIFICATION

A company aspiring to become registered in the central EU register of “environmental friendly” companies within the EU (and in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) EMAS-register) is required to establish an environmental management system and develop an environmental statement which shall be subject to an environmental verification.

EMAS = Eco Management and Audit Scheme.

The environmental verification must be carried out by an accredited environmental verifier. Environmental verification includes an on-site visit to the company wanting EMAS registration.

EMAS is a voluntary scheme for companies willing to commit to map out and improve their environmental effort. EMAS was launched April 1995 and revised 2001 among other things to incorporate DS/EN ISO 14001(the international standard for environmental management) in its environmental management system. The EMAS regulation was revised again in 2009, where the European Scheme among other things was globalized.

The purpose with EMAS is to promote an ongoing improvement of the environmental effort and results of companies.

EMAS is more comprehensive than DS/EN ISO 14001 among other things because:

A preliminary environmental review has to be carried out
The company shall produce an environmental statement and commit to making up to date information available to the public and other stakeholders.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

Below, links or references to documents, valid for the specific schemes, are provided.

EXECUTIVE ORDERS

Executive order No. 913 of 25 September 2009 on accreditation of companies.

ACCREDITATION STANDARD

DS/EN ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015, Conformity assessment – Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems - Part 1: Requirements’ og ISO/IEC.
17021-2:2018, Conformity assessment - requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems - Part 2: competence requirements for audit and certification of environmental management systems.
Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 of the European Parliament of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS)with related regulations from the Commission, decisions and recommendations.

ACCREDITATION REGULATIONS

AB 1: General regulation for accreditation of companies
AB 2:DANAK’s accreditation mark and reference to accreditation
AB 8: Accreditation to environmental verification (EMAS) under translation
AB 20: Flexible accreditation scope for certification and inspection bodies

ACCREDITATION MESSAGES (ONLY IN DANISH) - GENERAL

AMF 01: Simplified awarding of accreditation