The European Union and ISO 14000
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In the European Union (EU), the major driver for ISO 14000 is the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) which was developed in 1992. The member states of the EU adopted EMAS in an effort to not only reduce environmental impacts community-wide, but also to help reduce trade barriers that result from different environmental legislation within the various contrives. During the development of the ISO 14000 Series. Many EU countries lobbied unsuccessfully to have the language of ISO 14000 based More closely on the EMAS. ISO 14000 is seen not as an alternative to ISO 14000, but a complement to it. A business in the EU that wants to subscribe to EMAS will go a long way by first becoming certified for ISO 14000. Outside of the EU, businesses can gain a marketing edge by implementing ISO 14000 when dealing with businesses based in Europe. As the EMAS and ISO 14000 become integrated into the EU's operating structure, more issues dealing with trade and the environment are likely to come out. A company that is already familiar with ISO 14000 will be better able to deal with these issues.
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