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Commission proposes ‘one substance, one assessment' chemicals assessment reform for faster, simplified and transparent processes

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Summary

The Commission is proposing an update to the REACH Regulation to better protect human health and the environment from harmful chemicals. The update includes an impact assessment, public consultations, REACH registration requirements, and new provisions regarding nanomaterials. It will also assess the safety of chemicals in use in the EU and promote innovation and competitiveness. The Commission's Better Regulation provisions will inform the revision proposal and the public can find related documents on CIRCABC.

Q&As

What is the purpose of the REACH Regulation?
The purpose of the REACH Regulation is to ensure a high level of protection of human health and the environment against harmful substances, assess the safety of chemical substances in use in the EU, promote innovation and competitiveness, and promote alternative (non-animal) methods for the assessment of the hazards of substances.

What are the requirements of manufacturers and importers under the REACH Regulation?
Manufacturers and importers are required to gather information on the properties of their chemical substances and to register that information in a central database in the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

How does the Commission consult with stakeholders for the REACH Regulation revision?
The Commission consults with stakeholders for the REACH Regulation revision through an open public consultation, targeted stakeholder consultations of selected groups of stakeholders, expert and policy workshops, and consultation of the expert group Competent Authorities for REACH and CLP (CARACAL) at regular meetings.

What is the "consumer right to know" under REACH?
The "consumer right to know" under REACH is the right of consumers to know whether the products they buy contain harmful chemicals.

What provisions have been introduced for nanomaterials under REACH?
The REACH Regulation has introduced nano-specific clarifications and provisions in technical Annexes I, III and VI-XII, and updated Annex II with new provisions on Safety Data Sheets to complement the new registration requirements for nanomaterials.

AI Comments

👍 This article provides great detail on the REACH Regulation and its objectives, implementation, and related strategies. It also offers helpful resources to help businesses and consumers understand the requirements.

👎 The article does not provide enough information about the impact of the REACH Regulation on the environment and human health.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about the European Commission's proposed 'one substance, one assessment' chemicals assessment reform to streamline the process of assessing the safety of chemical substances in the EU. The reform would make the process faster, simpler, and more transparent.

Friend: Wow, that sounds like a really big change. What are the implications of this reform?

Me: Well, the main goal of the reform is to protect human health and the environment from the risks posed by chemicals. It also aims to promote innovation, competitiveness, and the use of non-animal methods for assessing hazards. This could lead to more efficient and effective regulation of chemicals in the EU, and could have a positive impact on the European businesses that rely on chemical production. It could also lead to increased consumer safety, since companies would be required to provide hazard information on the substances they use.

Action items

Research the REACH Regulation and the various Annexes to understand the requirements for chemical substances and mixtures.
Become familiar with the “consumer right to know” in Article 33 of the REACH Regulation and the LIFE askREACH project.
Learn about the revised Recommendation on the definition of a nanomaterial and the implementation guidance provided by the Industrial Minerals Association (IMA) and the Germany Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR).

Technical terms

REACH: Regulation on the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals.
ECHA: European Chemicals Agency.
Better Regulation: The Commission’s policy to ensure that EU legislation is effective, proportionate and evidence-based.
EC 1907/2006: The REACH Regulation.
CARACAL: The expert group Competent Authorities for REACH and CLP.
CIRCABC: The Commission’s information and communication platform for stakeholders.
SMEs: Small and medium-sized enterprises.
SVHCs: Substances of very high concern.
Nanomaterials: Chemical substances or materials comprising very small particles of different shapes and sizes no larger than 100 nm.