COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 27.09.1995 
COM(95) 422 final 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL DECISION 
ON THE RECOGNITION OF THE BRITISH STANDARD BS7750: 1994, 
ESTABLISHING SPECIFICATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL 
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 12 OF THE 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) N. 1836/93 OF 29 JUNE 1993, ALLOWING 
VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION BY COMPANIES IN THE INDUSTRIAL 
SECTOR IN A COMMUNITY ECO-MANAGEMENT AND AUDIT SCHEME 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL DECISION 
ON THE RECOGNITION OF IRISH STANDARD IS310: FIRST EDITION, 
ESTABLISHING SPECIFICATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL 
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 12 OF THE 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) N. 1836/93 OF 29 JUNE 1993, ALLOWING 
VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION BY COMPANIES IN THE INDUSTRIAL 
SECTOR IN A COMMUNITY ECO-MANAGEMENT AND AUDIT SCHEME 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL DECISION 
ON THE RECOGNITION OF SPANISH STANDARD UNE 77-801(2)94:, 
ESTABLISHING SPECIFICATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL 
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 12 OF THE 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) N. 1836/93 OF 29 JUNE 1993, ALLOWING 
VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION BY COMPANIES IN THE INDUSTRIAL 
SECTOR IN A COMMUNITY ECO-MANAGEMENT AND AUDIT SCHEME 
(presented by the Commission) 

Proposal for a Council Decisions on the recognition of: 
• the British Standard BS7750, 
• the Irish Standard I S310, First Edition and 
• the Spanish Standards UNE77-801(2)-94, 
establishing specification for environmental management systems, in accordance with Article 12 
of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1836/93 of 29 June 1993, allowing voluntary participation by 
companies in the industrial sector in a Community Eco-Management and Audit Scheme. 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
Article 12 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1836/93l foresees that companies 
implementing national, European and international standards for environmental 
management systems and audits and certified, according to appropriate certification 
procedures, as complying with those standards shall be considered as meeting the 
corresponding requirements of the Regulation, provided that, in particular, the 
standards and procedures are recognised by the Commission acting in accordance 
with the procedures laid down in Article 19 of the Regulation. 
The Commission services have carried out an analyses of the British Standard 
BS7750, the Irish Standard IS310, First Edition and the Spanish Standards UNE77-
801(2)-94 and prepared, for each, a draft Commission Decision which identifies the 
areas of correspondence between the standards and the Regulation. These draft 
Decisions have been presented to the Regulatory Committee for its opinion as 
required by Article 19 of the Regulation. The Committee did not vote in favour of 
adoption of any of the Decisions. 
In accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 19 (3) of the Regulation, the 
Commission therefore submits to the Council the attached proposal. 
O.J. L 168, 10.7.93, p.l 
Page 1 
COUNCIL DECISION 
OF 1995 
ON THE RECOGNITION OF THE BRITISH STANDARD BS7750: 1994, 
ESTABLISHING SPECIFICATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL 
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 12 OF THE 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) N. 1836/93 OF 29 JUNE 1993, ALLOWING 
VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION BY COMPANIES IN THE INDUSTRIAL 
SECTOR IN A COMMUNITY ECO-MANAGEMENT AND AUDIT SCHEME 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community; 
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) N.1836/93 of 29 June 1993, allowing 
voluntary participation by companies in the industrial sector in a Community eco-
management and audit scheme1, and in particular Article 12 thereof; 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Whereas Article 12 of Regulation (EEC) N.1836/93 establishes that companies 
implementing national, European and international standards for environmental 
management systems and audits and certified, according to appropriate certification 
procedures, as complying with those standards shall be considered as meeting the 
corresponding requirements of Regulation (EEC) N. 1836/93, provided that, in 
particular, the standards and procedures are recognised by the Commission acting in 
accordance with the procedures laid down in Article 19 of the same Regulation; 
Whereas Article 12 of (EEC) N.1836/93 states that the references of the recognised 
Standards and criteria shall be published in the Official Journal of the European 
Communities; 
Whereas the Commission has been requested to recognise the British Standard 
BS7750:1994 establishing specification for environmental management systems; 
Whereas the British Standard BS7750:1994 includes specification for environmental 
management systems and audit corresponding to certain requirements of Regulation 
(EEC)N. 1836/93; 
1 O.J. L 168, 10.07.1993, p. 1 
Z 
Whereas the Committee established under Article 19 of the Regulation did not give a 
favourable opinion on the draft of the measure which was submitted to it by the 
Commission, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
For the purposes of Article 12 of Regulation (EEC) N.1836/93, the Council hereby 
recognises that the British Standard BS7750:1994 establishing specification for 
environmental management systems contains requirements corresponding to those of 
the Council Regulation 1836/93 specified in the Annex to this Decision. 
Article 2 
This Decision is without prejudice to the elaboration of requirements for 
environmental management and audit systems in any future European standard and 
does not constitute a dispensation from the obligation to transpose European Standards 
as national standards without change, and to withdraw conflicting national standards in 
due time. 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 
Done at Bruxelles, [ 1995] 
3 
ANNEX 
Requirements of Council Regulation (EEC) N. 1836/93 for which there are 
corresponding standards in the BS7750:1994 
Article 3 Participation in the scheme 
Paragraphs (a) and (c) to (e) 
Article 4 Auditing and Validation 
Paragraph 2 
ANNEX I 
Part A 
Part B 
PartC 
PartD 
ANNEX II Paragraphs 1 to 5 
Paragraphs 1 to 6 
Paragraphs 1 to 12 
Paragraphs I to 7 and 9 to 11 
Paragraphs A to G 
H 
COUNCIL DECISION 
OF 1995 
ON THE RECOGNITION OF IRISH STANDARD IS310: FIRST EDITION, 
ESTABLISHING SPECIFICATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL 
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 12 OF THE 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) N. 1836/93 OF 29 JUNE 1993, ALLOWING 
VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION BY COMPANIES IN THE INDUSTRIAL 
SECTOR IN A COMMUNITY ECO-MANAGEMENT AND AUDIT SCHEME 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community; 
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) N.1836/93 of 29 June 1993, allowing 
voluntary participation by companies in the industrial sector in a Community eco-
management and audit scheme1, and in particular Article 12 thereof; 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Whereas Article 12 of Regulation (EEC) N.1836/93 establishes that companies 
implementing national, European and international standards for environmental 
management systems and audits and certified, according to appropriate certification 
procedures, as complying with those standards shall be considered as meeting the 
corresponding requirements of Regulation (EEC) N. 1836/93, provided that, in 
particular, the standards and procedures are recognised by the Commission acting in 
accordance with the procedures laid down in Article 19 of the same Regulation; 
Whereas Article 12 of (EEC) N.1836/93 states that the references of the recognised 
Standards and criteria shall be published in the Official Journal of the European 
Communities; 
Whereas the Commission has been requested to recognise the Irish standard IS310 
First edition establishing specification for environmental management systems; 
Whereas the Irish standard IS310: First Edition includes specification for 
environmental management systems and audit corresponding to certain requirements 
of Regulation (EEC) N. 1836/93 ; 
'O.J.L 168, 10.07.1993, p.l 
r 
Whereas the Committee established under Article 19 of the Regulation did not give a 
favourable opinion on the draft of the measure which was submitted to it by the 
Commission, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
For the purposes of Article 12 of Regulation (EEC) N.1836/93, the Council hereby 
recognises that the Irish standard IS310:First Edition establishing specification for 
environmental management systems contains requirements corresponding to those of 
the Council Regulation 1836/93 specified in the Annex to this Decision. 
Article 2 
This Decision is without prejudice to the elaboration of requirements for 
environmental management and audit systems in any future European standard and 
does not constitute a dispensation from the obligation to transpose European Standards 
as national standards without change, and to withdraw conflicting national standards in 
due time. 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 
Done at Bruxelles, [ 1995] 
ANNEX 
Requirements of Council Regulation (EEC) N. 1836/93 for which there are 
corresponding standards in the IS310:First Edition 
Article 3 Participation in the scheme 
ANNEX I 
ANNEX II Paragraphs (b), (c) and (e) 
Part A - Paragraphs 1 to 5 
Part B - Paragraphs 1 to 6 
Part C - Paragraphs 1 to 12 
Part D - Paragraphs 1 to 7 and 9 to 11 
Paragraphs B to D and G 
1-
COUNCIL DECISION 
OF 1995 
ON THE RECOGNITION OF SPANISH STANDARD UNE 77-801(2)94:, 
ESTABLISHING SPECIFICATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL 
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 12 OF THE 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) N. 1836/93 OF 29 JUNE 1993, ALLOWING 
VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION BY COMPANIES IN THE INDUSTRIAL 
SECTOR IN A COMMUNITY ECO-MANAGEMENT AND AUDIT SCHEME 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community; 
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) N.1836/93 of 29 June 1993, allowing 
voluntary participation by companies in the industrial sector in a Community eco-
management and audit scheme', and in particular Article 12 thereof; 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Whereas Article 12 of Regulation (EEC) N.1836/93 establishes that companies 
implementing national, European and international standards for environmental 
management systems and audits and certified, according to appropriate certification 
procedures, as complying with those standards shall be considered as meeting the 
corresponding requirements of Regulation (EEC) N. 1836/93, provided that, in 
particular, the standards and procedures are recognised by the Commission acting in 
accordance with the procedures laid down in Article 19 of the same Regulation; 
Whereas Article 12 of (EEC) N.1836/93 states that the references of the recognised 
Standards and criteria shall be published in the Official Journal of the European 
Communities; 
Whereas the Commission has been requested to recognise the Spanish Standard: UNE 
801(2)-94 establishing specification for environmental management systems; 
Whereas the Spanish standard: UNE 77-801(2)-94: includes specification for 
environmental management systems and audit corresponding to certain requirements 
of Regulation (EEC) N. 1836/93; 
OJ. L 168, 10.07.1993, p. 1 
Whereas the Committee established under Article 19 of the Regulation did not give a 
favourable opinion on the draft of the measure which was submitted to it by the 
Commission, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
For the purposes of Article 12 of Regulation (EEC) N.1836/93, the Council hereby 
recognises that the Spanish standard:UNE 77-801(2)-94: establishing specification for 
environmental management systems contains requirements corresponding to those of 
the Council Regulation 1836/93 specified in the Annex to this Decision. 
Article 2 
This Decision is without prejudice to the elaboration of requirements for 
environmental management and audit systems in any future European standard and 
does not constitute a dispensation from the obligation to transpose European Standards 
as national standards without change, and to withdraw conflicting national standards in 
due time. 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 
Done at Bruxelles, [ 1995] 
°\ 
ANNEX 
Requirements of Council Regulation (EEC) N. 1836/93 for which there are 
corresponding standards in the UNE 77-80I(2>94: 
Article 3 Participation in the seheme 
Paragraphs (b) to (e) 
Article 4 Auditing and Validation 
Paragraph 2 
ANNEX I 
Part A - Paragraphs 1 to 5 
Part B - Paragraphs 1 to 6 
Part C - Paragraphs 1 to 12 
Part D - Paragraphs 1 to 7,9 and 11 
ANNEX II 
Paragraphs A to G 
10 

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ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(95) 422 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 10 14 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-95-499-EN-C 
ISBN 92-77-94006-9 
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