Introducing the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS III) European Union enabled companies hailing from non-EU countries to engage in this process, highlighted the closing conference of the EU project “Law Enforcement in the field of Industrial Pollution Control, prevention of Chemical Accidents and establishing the EMAS system,” held at Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia. A quarter of total EU donations to Serbia is aimed at environmental protection.
“The resource efficiency aspects of EU environmental policy are seen as key to the long term sustainability of our competitiveness and economies at large. It may therefore not surprise you that 25 per cent of EU grant assistance provided to Serbia or more than 700 million euros have so far gone into this sector since 2000,” Richard Maša, Head of Operations III of the EU Delegation to Serbia told participants of the conference “EMAS III – The most credible environmental management system – also for organisations in Serbia”.
“You may know that the environment Chapter 27 accounts for approximately 30 per cent of legal texts that make up the EU Acquis. Compliance with it requires considerable financial and administrative capacity – it is a challenge also for Member States – as evidenced by the fact that environment accounts for one quarter of the so-called infringement procedures that the Commission initiates against Member States not transposing or implementing the provisions of the chapter correctly,” Maša said.
EMAS represents a voluntary system, based on EU standards, and so far none of Serbian organisations have been registered in it, though three companies have shown readiness to engage – Galenika, TRS Europe and Gorenje Valjevo, said Stana Bozovic State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection.
By 2018, Serbia is obliged to adopt complete European regulation in the area of ecology, which requires significant financial resources and training of administrative capacity, at both local and statewide levels. Environmental protection accounts for a third of the EU negotiations, economic crisis is indeed ongoing, but we cannot quit because EU standards would eventually improve life quality of Serbian citizens, Bozovic added.
Accessing EMAS is voluntary and implies standardisation within 20 areas, Maša added.
EMAS is at the same time one of the most credible environmental management systems. Its key objective is to recognise and reward organisations and companies that operate above the minimum of legal requirements, achieve continuous advancement and report truthfully on performances regarding environmental protection.
EMAS’ goal is to reduce environmental risks and increase competitiveness, while saving money at the same time.
