REACH and CLP:

ECHA reports that the regulations are working well

The overarching message of the report is that the REACH and CLP Regulations are working well and that the various actors responsible for the work are responding as required. This is largely attributable to the commitment and collaborative work between industry, stakeholders, the Member States , the European Commission and ECHA.

There are three key lessons to learn from this first experience of REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) and CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging):

-The uncertainty over the number of registrations for the first deadline was a challenge to manage and more accurate estimates would be helpful in future.
-Close working relationships with industry and stakeholders are vital to ensure success and the Agency can help by providing stable tools and guidance.
-The interrelationship between the various elements of the two regulations is important and has become increasingly apparent. For example, ambiguities in substance identification can lead to problems in forming Substance Information Exchange Fora (SIEF), evaluation and risk management activities.

The report also contains a series of recommendations for improving the implementation of the legislation. ECHA's aim in the coming years is to capitalise on the knowledge gained during the start up period and to continue to work in partnership with the European Commission, the Member States and stakeholders to further strengthen the understanding and safe use of chemical substances in Europe.