EMAS-registered organisations are reminded that the transitional arrangements of the new requirements of the amended Annex IV of the EMAS Regulation end today (9 January 2019).
EMAS-registered organisations will be aware that Annex IV of EMAS regulates the environmental reporting requirements for an EMAS registered organisation.
The revised version of Annex IV was developed in cooperation with the member states of the European Union and allows EMAS organisations new opportunities to report on their environmental performance.
This amendment replaced the entire text of Annex IV within the EMAS Regulation itself (see the article: Amended EMAS Annex IV comes into force (9 January 2019).
The revised Annex IV included an update of EMAS’ core indicators and the language of the environmental statement. Additionally, the new Annex IV makes it easier for organisations to use their EMAS environmental statement for other reporting obligations.
The transition period for the following cases expires today (9 January 2020):
- If the validation of an environmental statement or updated environmental statement is due to be carried out under the EMAS Regulation after the date of entry (9 January 2019) into force of this Regulation but before 9 January 2020, the statement may on that occasion, in agreement with the environmental verifier and the Competent Body, be validated under the original Annex IV requirements.
- If a non-validated updated environmental statement is due to be forwarded to a Competent Body under Article 7(3) of the EMAS Regulation after the date of entry (9 January 2019) into force of this Regulation but before 9 January 2020, the statement may on that occasion, in agreement with the Competent Body, be prepared under the original Annex IV requirements.
From today (9 January 2020), it is no longer possible to claim the transitional arrangements for the validation of an environmental statement, updated environmental statement or non-validated updated environmental statement.
All such environmental statements must fully comply with the requirements of the new Annex IV.
A copy of the full-text EMAS Annex IV Amendment can be downloaded in English here Other European language version can be accessed here.
| ACTION POINTS 1. If your organisation is EMAS-registered, obtain the revised Annex IV. 2. Review and understand the revised requirements. 3. Implement the changes to your environmental reporting. |