The European Commission’s industry and environment departments have launched the final round of stakeholder consultation on the REACH revision. This revision aims to simplify regulations for companies and authorities, modernize the framework, and enhance enforcement measures.
Several key aspects of the revision have been agreed upon, including improvements in the registration and evaluation of chemicals, digitalization of safety data sheets for better communication within the supply chain, and stronger enforcement protocols. Under the new plans, chemical registrations will expire after ten years unless updated or re-validated, and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) will have the authority to revoke registrations in cases of persistent non-compliance.
Additionally, dossiers must be updated if a substance is designated as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) or if new harmonized classifications are introduced. The EU will also establish criteria for national enforcement and conduct systematic and ad-hoc audits of national enforcement measures.
While some areas, such as modifications to controls on chemicals through restriction and authorization, are still being discussed, open issues include the introduction of a mixture assessment factor (MAF) for industry’s chemical safety assessments to manage the risk of exposure to chemical cocktails. This proposal has received support from several Member States, including Belgium and Sweden. Another open issue is the new analysis of options for risk management by authorities before initiating regulatory controls, which has been strongly advocated by the industry.
The Commission’s consultation on these elements will conclude on April 25, 2025, with a final proposal expected by the end of the year.
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