17/11/2006
5,000 sites now registered under the European Union Environmental Management Audit Scheme

The hydro power plant in Terni, Italy, is the 5,000th site to be registered under the European Union's Environmental Management Audit Scheme (EMAS). EMAS is a scheme which helps companies and other organisations to evaluate, report and improve their environmental performance.

The Terni plant is the 28th site to be registered by Italian energy firm Endessa Italia Spa which joins the growing number of organisations who are voluntarily committing to improving their environmental performance. EMAS registrations have increased at an average annual rate of 10% since December 2003. Many are coming from the industrial sector but a sizeable share also originating from the service sector, including leading European corporations and public authorities.

      On 13 November, EMAS-registered organisations with the best environmental communication campaign were rewarded by the Commission at an awards ceremony in Athens.