Commission requests studies on environmental management systems for SMEs

Brussels, 15 Nov 2002

The European Commission has published a call for tenders for studies on factors, policies and initiatives conducive to the implementation of environmental management systems in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

The study will be carried out in the framework of an ongoing DG Enterprise 'Best' procedure (i.e. benchmarking) project on Environmental Management Systems (EMSs) in SMEs. With a view to promoting the exchange of best practices, the project examines and compares national and regional/local factors, policies and initiatives (i.e. framework conditions) conducive to establishing and maintaining EMSs in SMEs, both of a formal (ISO 14001 and EMAS) and of a less formal nature. It covers both the EU Member States and a number of candidate countries as well as Norway.

The project will result in a report categorising and describing framework conditions favourable to the introduction of EMSs in SMEs and identifying good/best practices as well as conditions for success accompanied by specific recommendations. Good/best practices will be identified under a range of different (sub-) categories of framework conditions such as 'organisational arrangements', 'strategic embedment' (e.g. in the form of voluntary agreements), 'financial and technical assistance', 'horizontal and vertical networks', 'adapted and less formal approaches to EMSs' as well as 'benefits offered to companies with an EMS'.

Building on substantial preparatory work by the Commission and national experts (notably regarding the collection and categorization of relevant information), the contractor's main task will be to carry out an analysis of the available information. He/she will be asked to identify good/best practices, analyse conditions for success, formulate recommendations for future action and publish relevant results in the form of a report. Where necessary, he/she will also be asked to assist in complementing or clarifying the information collected by the Commission and national experts. The contractor's work will be conducted in close cooperation with the Commission and the expert group.

For further information, please contact:

European Commission
Directorate-General Enterprise Unit E1
Attn: Julius Langendorff
rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 200
B-1049 Brussels
Fax +32-2-299-19-25

To see the full text of the call, please visit: http://ted.eur-op.eu.int/dynamic/doccur/ en/en/e1Hb/6/172694-2002.htm

Remarks: The deadline for requesting tender documents is 02.12.2002. The deadline for submitting tender documents is 09.12.2002.

Before contacting the Commission, tenderers are strongly advised to consult the original call text in the Official Journal of the European Communities at the reference below.

Document Reference: OJ No S 218172694 of 9 November 2002

CORDIS RTD-NEWS/© European Communities, 2001