Extension of the EMAS family among EU Institutions!

How many EU Institution and Agencies are now EMAS Registered?

The Commission was the first EU Institution to register under EMAS already in 2005, and currently there are 17 EU Institutions and bodies which are EMAS-registered! A big success! And we are welcoming more and more institutions every year in our family. During the last year we had 5 new entries, the newest ones being the European Training Foundation (ETF) in Turin and the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) in Paris, presenting their experience at the next GIME meeting!

Another EU jargon abbreviation, can you explain to us what GIME is?

GIME is the Interinstitutional Group for Environmental Management, it was created to exchange environmental best-practices in line with the EU Green Deal towards a climate neutral Europe by 2050. The group had been rather inactive for 2 years due to the pandemic and lack of resources, but it has recently been revamped and now we’re experiencing a very high participation and interest from many EU institutions all over Europe.

Which topics do you discuss, or which activities do you organize within the GIME?

We discuss green “hot” topics like the calculation of the environmental impact of telework, the reduction of emissions related to business travel, the biodiversity enhancement, energy saving measures, carbon removals/carbon offsetting, etc... Every institution brings to the table their internal discussions, perplexities and new measures in place in order to keep the interinstitutional dialogue alive. Moreover, the "core” of the GIME members organise common communication and staff awareness actions, such as the Interinstitutional VeloMai promoting sustainable commuting among their staff under the motto “Cycling for Peace” and supporting Ukraine. The highlight is, of course, the organisation of the Interinstitutional EMAS Days which involved more than 600 EMAS practitioners and a group of eco-volunteers during the 2022 edition. This was a unique opportunity to share environmental best practices and know-hows acquired by the EMAS pioneers. Have a look at the relevant e-poster and e-programme to get a glimpse of what it was all about...

Why do you think interest and participation in green aspects has increased?

Air pollution, biodiversity, climate change, energy are all urgent topics to be addressed all over Europe. A change of direction is urgently needed from all of us, and, of course, the European institutions are frontrunners of the transition towards a climate neutral society and want to lead by example..

How can we stay updated on interinstitutional dialogue?

You can regularly consult this detailed website or write to us at EC-EMASec [dot] europa [dot] eu (EC-EMAS[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) for more information. Fresh ideas and initiatives are always welcome!