Procedures for EMAS registration

Estonian Environment Information Centre (EEIC) has been designated by the Ministry of Environment as ‘competent body’ for implementing the EMAS regulation. The competent body registers the participating companies and issues the registration numbers and the right to use the EMAS logos.

  1. Organisations applying for EMAS registration must send completed application form and an original environmental statement validated by an accredited environmental verification body to the competent body by post and by e-mail:

Estonian Environment Information Centre

Mustamäe tee 33

10616 Tallinn

ESTONIA

Phone: +372 673 7596

Fax: +372 656 4071

  1. The Competent Body will check the completeness of the application and the original environmental statement.

2.1. The Competent Body will contact the relevant licensing authorities to verify if there are no objections to issuing an EMAS registration.

2.2. For incidents before the implementation of EMAS the Competent Body may demand a declaration of harmlessness. The verifier and the organisation shall prove in a written, signed statement:

The non compliance happened before the implementation of EMAS

The non compliance has been stopped effectively

The damage has been repaired or

No damage occurred

The damage is not likely to occur again because of procedures in the management system.

2.3. Criminal and administrative conviction records of the organisation and/or the Managing Director generally will be very carefully assessed.For incidents in the past, which may reoccur or have an impact in the present, a signed declaration of harmlessness establishes that damage has been repaired. The registration may continue once the non compliance is resolved. The verifier has to inform on the details of this resolution.

If a conviction will coincide with the process of registration, the registration shall take place after the conviction. The verifier and the organisation declare which steps have been taken in the management system to avoid reoccurrence. For ongoing serious incidents up to the present, the Competent Body shall inform the applicant organisation that registration is not possible.

2.4. If the information is missing, wrong or ambiguous the Competent Body will send a letter to the representative of the applicant organisation and address indicated for contact, and ask for a new application, which contains the missing information.

  1. If the conditions for registration have been met and there have been no objections, a certificate of EMAS registration will be issued. Information about EMAS registered organisation will be published on EEIC website. EMAS certification is valid for 3 years.
  2. The annual updates of the environmental statements must be submitted to the competent body on time (by post and by e-mail).
  3. EMAS organisation must send a new environmental statement validated by an accredited environmental verification body to the competent body after every 3 years.
  4. The organisation will be registered according to the EMAS during two months after the Competent Body has received completed application form and an original environmental statement.