| Author (Person) | Bower, Helen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Publisher | ProQuest Information and Learning | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Series Details | 12.5.03 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Publication Date | 12/05/2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content Type | News, Overview, Topic Guide | In Focus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Touted as the EU's most important legislative package in 2003, and potentially the most important regulatory package for Europe's environment in the next decade, the European Commission published its new EU chemicals policy on 7 May 2003 [IP/03/646] and launched an eight week internet consultation for all stakeholders. The long-awaited draft proposal for a new EU chemicals policy follows an intense period of debate between relevant stakeholders, which focussed on the battle between delivering protection for the environment versus the vast costs facing the industry to implicate such legislation. Announcing the proposals, European Commissioners Erkki Liikanen [Enterprise] and Margot Wallstrom [Environment] suggested that they had devised a policy which would satisfy both sectors:
Background The chemicals industry is one of Europe's most important industries and its competitiveness is viewed as essential in achieving the Lisbon goals of making the EU the world's most competitive economy by 2010. However, it is also recognised that the industry is responsible for producing chemicals that could endanger public health or harm the environment. Whilst EU legislation exists to regulate the production of such chemicals, public concern has grown in recent years about the potential impact of these products and environmental groups have lobbied the European Union intensively to improve the current EU regulatory framework for the chemicals industry. Under pressure from these groups, a review of the existing legislation was undertaken in 1998. The completed report [SEC (1998) 1986 final], presented in November 1998, identified a number of shortcomings such as:
The report also concluded that innovation in the chemicals sector was impeded by stricter requirements concerning new chemicals compared to the current rules applied to existing chemicals acts as an impediment to innovation. White Paper for a strategy for a future EU chemicals policy Following discussions a the Council of Ministers on the shortcomings of existing legislation governing the EU chemicals industry, the Environment Council called on the European Commission to come forward with proposals for a new strategy on chemicals by the end of 2000 Responding to the Council's request the European Commission duly adopted the White Paper [COM (2001) 88] on a strategy for a future chemicals policy on 13 February 2001 [IP/01/201]. The White Paper takes account of the Communication on the Competitiveness of the Chemical Industry (COM 96/187) and the Communication on the Precautionary Principle (COM 2000/1). It also draws upon the various submissions made by stakeholders, the analyses made in several Member States and several meetings organised in Member States. The White Paper was produced under co-responsibility between the Commission's Directorate Generals for Environment and Enterprise. The main aim of the White Paper was to deliver a new Chemical Strategy capable of ensuring a high level of protection for human health and the environment, while ensuring the efficient functioning of the internal market and stimulating innovation and competitiveness in the chemical industry. There were five key elements to the new strategy:
It also sought to establish a new registration system for chemicals, to be known as REACH, which would be based on registration, evaluation and authorisation. More background on the White Paper can be found on the DG Enterprise Chemicals website. Keen to elicit response from both the industry itself and environmental lobby groups, the European Commission organised a Stakeholder's Conference on the subject of the White Paper on 2 April 2001. This was followed by a second Stakeholders' Conference on 21 May 2002 to discuss the business impact of the proposals. The Council's comments on the White Paper and the opinion of the European Parliament are also available. New EU chemicals strategy Following on from the debate about the White Paper, the European Commission began work on proposals for a new regulatory package for the chemicals sector. These had been expected in 2002 but were delayed following intensive lobbying on the part of both businesses and environmental groups. The new policy, published on 7 May 2003 [IP/03/646], seeks to address the demands of both these sectors whilst delivering a policy that will encourage a competitive and innovative chemical industry in Europe. There are three key features to the new strategy:
Through these initiatives the European Commission aims to deliver seven objectives, based on those in the White Paper, that need to be balanced within the overall framework of sustainable development:
The main focus of the new strategy is the REACH system which the European Commission believes "will put Europe well in advance of most other countries in terms of the health and safety guarantees provided by manufacturers and importers of chemicals". REACH will offer a single, integrated system where all chemicals may be registered, evaluated and authorised. The new system will place a duty on companies which produce, import and use chemicals to assess the risks arising from their use requiring new test data to be generated in justified cases - and to take the necessary measures to manage any risks they identify. This will reverse the burden of proof from public authorities to industry for putting safe chemicals on the market. To fulfil the commitments of other areas of community legislation, testing results have to be shared to reduce any likely animal testing and registration of information on the properties, uses and safe use of chemical substances will be an integral part of the new system in keeping with the principles of openness and transparency. The scope of the reach system will extend to all chemical substances produced or imported in volumes of 1 tonne or more per year, per manufacturer/importer, with special provisions for intermediates and polymers. As to the timetable of REACH all substances that are already on the market will be phased gradually into the new system, with substances produced in high volumes and CMRs registered first. Registration deadlines will be calculated from the year the legislation enters into force so that the new obligations will apply from:
More details on the REACH system can be found in the European Commission's MEMO on the issue: MEMO/03/99 Reaction to the chemicals strategy has been mixed. Heralded by those within the EU institutions as a radical approach to protecting public health, environmental groups have claimed the proposals do not go far enough. Moreover, they fear that the delay in producing the proposals means that they will only get past their first reading in the European Parliament before enlargement on 1 May 2004, which may delay the process further. However, industry groups, who warned the European Commission to take into consideration the costs of a new registration scheme, suggest that such a new "bureaucratic regime" would prove too expensive for businesses and the European Chemicals Industry Council has warned that the reforms threaten 1.7 million jobs. The European Commission estimates that the new measure will cost up to €7 billion ($7.94bn) and taken at least 10 years to implement but with such strong opposition from industry it may be a while yet before the Council and the European Parliament give their required approval to the proposals. The new REACH system should put Europe well in advance of most other countries in terms of the health and safety guarantees provided by manufacturers and importers of chemicals. Further links within European Sources Online
External links EU Institutions
Industry organisations
Environmental Organisations
Media Organisations
Helen Bower 10 May 2003 The European Commission published its new EU chemicals policy on 7 May 2003 and launched an eight week internet consultation for all stakeholders |
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