10. 7. 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 168/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) 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 THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 130s thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (%), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (3, Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Whereas the objectives and principles of the Com- munity’s environment policy, as set out in the Treaty and detailed in the resolution of the Council of the European Communities and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 1 February 1993 on a Community programme of policy and action in relation to the environment and sustainable development (%), as well as in the preceding resolutions of 1973 (), 1977 (%), 1983 () and 1987 (*) on a policy and action programme of the Community regarding the protection of the environment are, in particular, to prevent, reduce and as far as possible eliminate pollution, particularly at source on the basis of the polluter pays principle, to ensure sound management of resources and to use clean or cleaner technology; Whereas Article 2 of the Treaty, as it will read according to the Treaty on the European Union signed at Maastricht on 7 February 1992, stipulates that the Community shall have among its tasks to promote throughout the Com- munity sustainable growth and the Council resolution of 1 February 1993 stresses the importance of such sustainable growth ; Whereas the programme ‘Towards Sustainability’, presented by the Commission and approved as to its general approach by the Council resolution of 1 February 1993, underlines the role and responsibilities of com- () OJ No C 120, 30. 4. 1993, p. 3. () OJ No C 42, 15. 2. 1993, p. 44. %) O No C 332, 16. 12. 1992, p. 44. 4} Not yet published in the Official Journal. ) OJ No C 112, 20. 12. 1973, p. 1. () O] No C 139, 13. 6. 1977, p. 1. () OJ No C 46, 17. 2. 1983, p. 1. (* OJ No C 70, 18. 3. 1987, p. 1. o~ o~ panies, both to reinforce the economy and to protect the environment throughout the Community ; Whereas industry has its own responsibility to manage the environmental impact of its activities and should therefore adopt a pro-active approach in this field; Whereas this responsibility calls for companies to establish and implement environmental policies, objec- tives and programmes and effective environmental mana- gement systems; whereas companies should adopt an environmental policy which, in addition to providing for compliance with all relevant regulatory requirements regarding the environment, must include commitments aimed at the reasonable continuous improvement of envi- ronmental performance ; Whereas the application of environmental management systems by companies shall take acccount of the need to ensure awareness and training of workers in the establish- ment and implementation of such systems; Whereas environmental management systems should include environmental auditing procedures to help management assess compliance with the system and the effectiveness of the system in fulfilling the company’s environmental policy ; Whereas the provision of information to the public, by companies, on the environmental aspects of their activities is an essential element of good environmental management and a response to the growing interest of the public in information on this subject; Whereas companies should therefore be encouraged to produce and disseminate periodic environmental state- ments containing information for the public on the factual environmental situation in their industrial sites and on their environmental policies, programmes, objec- tives and management system ; Whereas the transparency and credibility of companies’ activities in this field are enhanced when the companies’ environmental  policies, programmes, management