No L 34/44 Official Journal of the European Communities 13. 2. %96 COMMISSION DECISION of 2 February 1996 on the recognition of the British standard BS7750:1994, establishing specifications for environmental management systems, in accordance with Article 12 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1836/93 (Text with EEA relevance) (96/150/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to 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 ('), and in particular Article 12 thereof, Whereas Article 12 of Regulation (EEC) No 1836/93 esta- blishes that companies implementing national, European and international standards for environmental manage- ment systems and audits and certified, according to appropriate certification procedures, as complying with those standards shall be considered as meeting the corres- ponding requirements of Regulation (EEC) No 1836/93, provided that, in particular, the standards and procedures are recognized by the Commission acting in accordance with the procedures laid down in Article 19 of the same Regulation ; Whereas Article 12 of Regulation (EEC) No 1836/93 states that the references of the recognized standards and criteria shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities; Whereas the Commission has been requested to recog- nize 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) No 1836/93; Whereas the Committee established under Article 19 of Regulation (EEC) No 1836/93 did not give a favourable opinion on the draft of the measure which was submitted () OJ No L 168, 10. 7. 1993, p. 1. to it by the Commission ; whereas the Council could not reach agreement to either adopt the measure proposed by the Commission or to reject it; whereas under such circumstances the proposed measure shall be adopted by the Commission, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION : Article 1 For the purpose of Article 12 of Regulation (EEC) No 1836/93, the Commission hereby recognizes that the British standard BS7750 : 1994 establishing specification for environmental management systems contains require- ments corresponding to those of the abovementioned Regulation 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. Article 3 This Decision is addressed to the Member States. Done at Brussels, 2 February 1996. For the Commission Ritt BJERREGAARD Member of the Commission