Activites

• 2001/04/24 Final act published in Official Journal
  • Regulation 2001/761
  • OJ L 114 24.04.2001, p. 0001
• 2001/03/19 Final act signed
• 2001/03/19 End of procedure in Parliament
• 2001/02/14 Decision by Parliament, 3rd reading
  • T5-0076/2001 summary

    The European Parliament has approved at third reading the report by Mrs Chistina GARCIA ORCOYEN TORMO (EPP/ED, E). (Please refer to the previous document). �

• 2001/02/13 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• #2330
• 2001/02/12 Council Meeting
• 2001/01/26 Report tabled for plenary, 3rd reading
  • A5-0033/2001
• 2000/12/18 Joint text approved by Conciliation Committee co-chairs
  • 3658/2000
• 2000/11/22 Formal meeting of Conciliation Committee
• #2287
• 2000/09/26 Council Meeting
• 2000/07/06 Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading
  • T5-0319/2000 summary

    The European Parliament in its second reading recommended by Cristina GARCIA ORCOYEN TORMO (EPP/ED, Spain) amended the Council's common position as follows: -there is provision for increased involvement from employees' representatives. -the environmental statement will pay attention to results achieved and consider the information needs of relevant parties. -the environmental statement will be validated annually. Exceptions permitting a three-yearly validation are approved under specified circumstances. -there are increased provisions for reporting to the Parliament. -the system to promote participation will operate so as to reduce the administrative burden for businesses in general and small businesses particularly. -the Commission will encourage Member States to draw up a protocol of intent on common guidelines on penalties. -the environmental statement will be laid before the public -the verifier must have knowledge of industrial implications. Further requirements are set out. -there is no mention of the obligation to use best available technology in the amendments at second reading.�

• 2000/07/05 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 2000/06/20 Vote in committee, 2nd reading
  • A5-0165/2000
• 2000/03/16 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 2nd reading
• #2245
• 2000/02/28 Council Meeting
  • 10677/2/1999 summary

    The Commission accepted totally, or partially 18 of the 59 amendments proposed by the European Parliament at first reading. The Council accepted 15 of these amendments, totally, partially or in principle. In particular, the concept of "stakeholders" has been replaced throughout the text with that of "interested parties" for reasons of compatibility with ISO 14001. A definition of interested parties has been inserted into the text. The use of the EMAS logo on adverts for products, activities and services, excluded in the Commission proposal, has been retained by the Council as admissible only under circumstances to be defined by Commission guidance and provided that no confusion with environment product labels is created. The Council's changes to the amended proposal include greater emphasis on the active involvement of employees, with an explicit reference to their training. The Council has not retained the Parliament's amendments on incentives for organisations beyond the measures already provided to encourage participattion in EMAS. Nor has it retained the amendment regarding necessary structures in the candidate countries, since no special provision concerning such countries is contained in this Regulation.�

• #2194
• 1999/06/24 Council Meeting
• 1999/06/23 Modified legislative proposal published
  • COM(1999)0313 summary

    The Commission's amended proposal takes account of various amendments adopted by the European Parliament in its first reading. In light of these amendments, the main changes introduced by the Commission are the following: - clarification that the Scheme is open to all organisations having environmental impacts and inviting Member States to create incentives for organisations to participate in EMAS; - highlighting the need to continually ensure a good standard of environmental verifiers and a consistent implementation of the accreditation requirements of the EMAS Regulation in all the Member States; - introducing the reference to the European standard EN ISO 14001 and requiring the Commission to issue guidelines on the form and content of the environmental statements; - allowing Member States to appoint national, regional or local structures to act as EMAS competent bodies; - definition of the concept of 'stakeholders'; - ensure that participation in EMAS shall not create excessive administrative for SMEs; - providing for the use of the logo in product information; - inclusion of craft chambers on the list of organisations able to support EMAS implementation; - provision of support to candidate countries for accession to the EU.�

• 1999/05/06 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T4-0422/1999 summary

    Following the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam on 01/05/99, the European Parliament confirmed as its first reading under codecision procedure its vote of 15/04/99 on the proposal for a European Parliament and Council directive allowing voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme.�

• 1999/05/05 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
• 1999/04/15 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T4-0313/1999 summary

    The Parliament approved the Commission's proposal for a voluntary Eco-audit scheme subject to a number of amendments. Parliament's opinion was drafted by Mr. José Valverde Lopez (EPP, Spain). While the Parliament approves the Commission's general approach, it would like to see that SMEs are guaranteed priority access to financial incentives awarded by national, regional or local authorities and the EU. It also called for schemes for monitoring the implementation of the legislation and the importance of promoting the EMAS activities to be expanded. The Parliament also called on the Commission to draw up a report on the initiative after three years, whereas the Commission had proposed five years.�

• 1999/04/13 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 1999/03/17 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A4-0139/1999
• #2165
• 1999/03/11 Council Meeting
  • 2165
• 1998/12/18 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 1998/10/30 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(1998)0622 summary

    OBJECTIVE: to allow the voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco- management and audit scheme (EMAS) SUBSTANCE: Since April 1995 Regulation 1836/93/EEC of 29 June 1993 has allowed the voluntary participation of companies in the industrial sector in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS). This regulation provides economic operators from the industrial sector with a tool to implement good environmental management practices. The amendments proposed by the Commission seek to assist EMAS to make a greater contribution to sustainable development and to maintain the potential of this instrument based on the market. The main elements of the proposal which will help to achieve this aim are: - opening the scope of EMAS to cover all organisations with significant environmental effects; - inclusion of ISO 14001 specifications as the environmental management system (EMS) of EMAS; - involvement of the employees of organisations in the implementation of EMAS; - increasing the participation of SMEs by developing a set of different supporting tools; - adoption of a visible and recognisable logo; - strengthening the follow-up of improvements in environmental performance achieved by the organisations; - enhancement of the added value of EMAS compared to other EMS; - improvement of the consistency of the implementation of EMAS in the Member States. �

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(1998)0622
• Debate in Council: 2165
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A4-0139/1999
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T4-0313/1999
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T4-0422/1999
• Modified legislative proposal published: COM(1999)0313
• Council position published: 10677/2/1999
• Committee recommendation tabled for plenary, 2nd reading: A5-0165/2000
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading: T5-0319/2000
• Joint text approved by Conciliation Committee co-chairs: 3658/2000
• Report tabled for plenary, 3rd reading: A5-0033/2001
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 3rd reading: T5-0076/2001
• : Regulation 2001/761
• : OJ L 114 24.04.2001, p. 0001

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)