The European Commission (EC) was the first EU Institution to achieve an EMAS-registration in 2005. It sets an example by reducing the environmental impact of its own activities through EMAS. Key priorities are:

• the efficient use of natural resources (mainly energy, water and paper)
• the reduction of overall CO₂ emissions
• waste prevention, recycling and re-use
• green public procurement
• sustainable mobility

In September 2001 the EC decided to pilot the implementation of EMAS in four services in Brussels.  Since January 2010, this system has progressively extended to all the services' activities and buildings in Brussels, Luxembourg, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) sites and DG SANTE's site at Grange. This has significantly increased the number of concerned employees from 4,000 to approximately 35,000.

The Commission’s Political Guidelines for the period 2019-2024 recognise the importance of Europe continuing its leading role on the global stage in reducing environmental impacts. They include, at their core, the commitment to develop a European Green Deal under which achieving tougher climate related targets will play a particularly important role. On 5 April 2022, the Commission adopted a Communication on its Greening with the aim to become climate neutral by 2030 as announced by the President Ursula von der Leyen in the context of the Green Deal. 

As a proof of this determination, on Earth Day 2022, the Commission made a pledge under the European Climate Pact and committed to gradually reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 60% compared to 2005. In addition to the ambitious set of GHG reduction actions, the Commission will have to rely also on carbon removals to neutralise unavoidable emissions and achieve net zero GHG emissions by 2030. For more details, click here: People first – Greening the European Commission | European Commission (europa.eu).

This ambitious goal is envisaged in the new Commission’s Environmental Policy, see the flash-animation and the policy adoption note:

For further information, see the Environmental Statement 2022 (period 2021) – Corporate Summary and the Environmental Statement 2022 (period 2021) – Consolidated Volume: Corporate Summary and 9 Annexes.

For any general inquiries concerning "EMAS in EC" you may address the EMAS coordination team in DG HR: EMAS in EC functional mailbox. 

The European Environment Agency was the first EU body to introduce an environmental management system in 2004 and received its EMAS registration in spring 2005. Since then, EEA has helped other organisations introduce environmental measures and was itself nominated for an EMAS Award in 2009. More information can be found here.

The European Parliament is EMAS registered for its three places of work (Strasbourg France, Luxembourg and Brussels, Belgium) since December 2007. In 2016, President Martin Schulz and Secretary-General Klaus Welle signed a new environmental policy reaffirming the EP's administration commitment to

The EMAS project in the EP was launched by the Bureau in 2004, with the aim to continually improving its environmental performance.

By relying on the commitment of every single employee and the support of all its services, EMAS provides the framework for the European Parliament to reduce its own greenhouse gas emissions and save resources for future generations. As part of the European Green Deal, the Parliament is also studying its forward-looking policies on how to reduce its carbon footprint towards carbon neutrality. More information can be found here.

EUIPO is the European Union Intellectual Property Office responsible for managing the EU trade mark and the registered Community design and has been EMAS registered since September 2008.

More information can be found here.

Since it registered with EMAS in 2010, the European Central Bank (ECB) has constantly been improving its environmental management system through its Green ECB initiative. The ECB is always looking for ways to reduce its carbon footprint and make its environmental performance even stronger. Take a look this video to learn more about what the ECB is doing.

You can also find more information on the ECB’s website.

The European Economic and Social Committee and the European Committee of the Regions are two consultative bodies of the European Union. They are unique in that they share joint services and infrastructure. They have also jointly undertaken to implement an environmental management system, formalised by EMAS registration and ISO 14001 certification in 2011. This approach has made it possible not only to obtain these certifications but also to make all stakeholders aware of the environmental aspects associated with everyday activities. Implementing EMAS also provides an opportunity to take account of the principles of sustainable building management, to optimise heating, lighting and paper consumption, to develop a more sustainable canteen, to select environmentally friendly cleaning products and paint, to reduce and sort waste, to reduce food waste at events, etc.

All measures and results are set out in the environmental statement.

Many of the General Secretariat of the Council's (GSC) activities have some impact on the environment. The GSC has been working since 2010 to reduce this impact and protect the environment, through high quality environmental management which applies to all GSC activities in the buildings it occupies in Brussels. The GSC obtained ISO 14001 certification and the EMAS registration in 2016.
The main goals of the GSC's environmental programme include:

• cutting primary energy consumption through renewable energy production and efficient energy use
• ensuring efficient use of water and preventing water pollution
• waste prevention and reduction, re-use of materials and promoting recycling
• employees involvement
• reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• reducing paper consumption and using recycled and eco-friendly paper

The GSC also promotes environmentally-friendly mobility among employees and visitors and incorporates environmental criteria into public procurement procedures.

For more information, please refer to GSC's Environmental statement.

The European Union is at the forefront of commitments to ensure protection of the environment worldwide. The Court of Justice of the European Union, as an institution, attaches great importance to this question and it has decided to commit itself to that endeavour with vigour and conviction by using EMAS. The institution is EMAS-registered since 2016.

Please find more information here.

The Court was officially EMAS-registered on 10 March 2017 and it successfully operates an environmental management system in line with EMAS Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 and ISO 14001. Its registration number is LU-000004.
 
For additional information, please see the Court's corporate environmental management webpage, where you can find their environmental statement, in which they present their environmental performance results and any future plans for improvement. 

Since 2015, EFSA has been working on the implementation of an environmental management system, obtaining in November 2016 the ISO 14001:2004 certification and, in February 2017, the EMAS registration. Being EMAS registered has contributed to the implementation of EFSA's key values such as openness and transparency, meeting the expectation of the local communities. These include innovation, pushing EFSA to be pro-active encouraging the green economy; and cooperation, establishing a strong dialogue with the other organisations part of the EMAS community.

For more information, check out EFSA's Environmental Statement.

The EIB Group is the European Union’s long- term financing institution. It provides finance and technical assistance to achieve sustainable, inclusive growth through two complementary entities, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF). In September 2015, their Board of Directors approved the EIB Climate Change Strategy. Part of this far-reaching initiative was to implement an Environmental Management System for the Group allowing them to manage their internal environmental performance in an effective manner. In December 2018, they obtained ISO14001 certification and then in March 2019 EMAS registration.

With EMAS, the EIB Group can look forward to an environmentally conscious future. It will give them a framework to plan and build their internal environmental programmes; remove single-use plastics, monitor and improve our energy performance, reduce waste, recycle and reuse resources to their best advantage. In a world that is increasingly looking towards the “circular economy”, EMAS gives them a robust and stable platform on which to build.

On its successful EMAS registration, EIB Secretary General Marjut Santoni said:

For more information please check EMAS Environmental Policy and the Environmental Statement 2019.

Europol initiated its EMAS initiative in 2017. As a result, an Environmental Management System meeting the requirements of ISO 14001:2015 and EMAS regulation was established within the organisation in the period 2018–2021. This has enabled Europol to gain insights into its environmental impact. The agency is now well-equipped to monitor, control and continuously improve its environmental performance. Europol has been ISO14001:2015 certified since November 2021 and EMAS registered since February 2022.

The implementation of EMAS directly supports Europol’s strategy to be the model EU law enforcement organisation with robust performance, good governance, and accountability, promoting diversity and staff engagement. It also demonstrates Europol’s commitment to sustainable development contributing to the EU Green Deal and the Paris Agreement objectives.  

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has implemented an environment management system (EMS) since 2015 and has been ISO 14001:2015 certified since 2016. The decision to have a recognised EMS was taken as ECHA’s operational role in contributing towards a better environment under EU Chemicals Legislation should be complemented with a commitment to managing our environmental performance as an organisation.

ECHA sought further improvements and the next step was for ECHA to prepare for registration under the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) in 2020, when ECHA’s Executive Director pledged that ECHA will become net-carbon by 2030. This supports the ambitions of the EU Green Deal and the role of ECHA in the EU’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability to help achieve a toxic-free environment.

In short, ECHA’s environmental management system:

• includes monitoring and reporting ECHA’s environmental performance and ensures staff engagement and stakeholder involvement on environmental aspects;
• enables ECHA to increase the sustainability of its operations and minimise the negative impact its activities have on the environment;
• is ISO 14001:2015 certified and EMAS Registered.

For more details click here.

The European Banking Authority implements EMAS as part of its commitment to reduce its environmental impact and carbon footprint. The EBA’s annual environmental statement reflects the Authority's progress on such commitment.

The EBA has an important role in supporting the European banking sector towards the objectives of transitioning to a more sustainable economy and mitigating risks stemming from climate change and broader environmental, social and governance factors.

The scope of EMAS is applicable to all the EBA’s operational activities as well as its core business activities and products carried out with a view to maintaining financial stability in the EU and safeguarding the integrity, efficiency and orderly functioning of the European banking sector.

You can find more information on the EBA's environmental performance on Sustainable EBA | European Banking Authority (europa.eu).

The European Training Foundation is the EU agency supporting countries surrounding the European Union to reform their education, training and labour market systems.
In October 2019, we adopted our environmental policy and started our environmental management project that aims to:

• reduce carbon dioxide emissions
• promote the efficient use of energy, water and paper, and reduce waste
• incorporate environmental guidelines into procurement procedures
• ensure appropriate behaviour and commitment through training and by increasing awareness
• take preventive measures to counter pollution
• ensure compliance with the necessary requirements
• provide sufficient resources for its environmental management system
• promote transparent communication and dialogue.

As an EU organisation, the ETF is committed to making a positive contribution to the environment and to sustainable development as a long-term goal. This is reflected in how we operate and in the decisions we make to reduce the environmental impact of our activities. The ETF has been EMAS and ISO 14001 certified since 2021

The ETF’s work is devised and delivered in the context of the EU’s policies and external relations priorities in support of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We support partner countries in the EU’s neighbouring regions to prepare for the green transition through the reform of human capital development systems to drive the shift towards sustainable, clean, carbon-neutral circular economies, and just and fair societies.

The ETF environmental policy and EMAS declaration 2022 are available for consultation on the ETF website

The European Securities and Markets Authority has a key role in supporting the orderly transition to a more sustainable economy and the European Commission’s objectives, as outlined in its Strategic Orientation 2020-2022. Sustainability is an integral part of ESMA’s mandate.
In 2019, ESMA’s founding Regulation was revised granting it additional responsibilities and tasks in relation to sustainable finance, which has become part of ESMA’s Annual Work Programmes since 2020, both as a cross-cutting theme and through specific implementation objectives within sectoral areas.

The scope of the Environmental Management System (EMS) covers both ESMA’s operations and activities in Paris and its mandates regarding sustainability and ESG factors integration within its mission in enhancing the protection of investors and promoting stable and orderly financial markets.

ESMA annual public Environmental Statement reflects ESMA’s progress on these commitments.

The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) is a European Supervisory Authority which strives to support the insurance and the pensions industry moving towards a more sustainable economy.

EIOPA has received the certification under the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) in 2022 and is pursuing its commitment and effort to be a sustainable, transparent and responsible organisation.

The Environmental Management System under EMAS covers all EIOPA’s operations as well as the activities related to sustainable finance under its mandate. EIOPA’s environmental Statement is available on its website.

Eurofound provides information, advice and expertise on working conditions and sustainable work, industrial relations, labour market change and quality and life and public services, to support the EU institutions and bodies, Member States and social partners in shaping and implementing social and employment policies, as well as promoting social dialogue on the basis of comparative information, research and analysis.