The environmental management system between freedom of will and legal imperative

Abstract

The management systems developed by the standardization organizations at international or regional level, have as a general principle the expression of freedom of will regarding their implementation within an organization. The current importance of environmental protection is capable of causing changes in the application of this principle. A special feature is established in the legislation of the European Union, and consequently in the national one, regarding the environmental management systems. This feature, which is the object of the present study, consists in the gradual transformation of freedom of will into legislative imposition, regarding the implementation of such a management system.