Governments and Parliament thrash out REACH deal

A deal on EU chemicals legislation REACH was struck late on Thursday night (30 November), greatly increasing the chances of final adoption by MEPs and governments before the end of the year.

"REACH is done," according to UK liberal MEP Chris Davies. "It’s a take-it-or-leave-it, and no one’s going to leave it."

Under the compromise deal between representatives of the Parliament and the Council of Ministers, producers would have to submit a ‘substitution plan’ when applying for authorisation of a chemical of high concern. These would include research plans if no safer alternative yet exists.

Authorisation would be allowed if no safer alternative can be found and the chemical can be adequately controlled.

Critics say this leaves too much room for dangerous chemicals to end up on the market.

Only compulsory mandatory substitution of all hazardous chemicals would protect the public, according to environmentalists and the European green party.

"The Parliament has finally sold out to the intense lobbying of the German chemical industry and agreed a compromise with the Council, which will seriously limit the potential benefits of REACH," according to Green MEP Carl Schlyter.

According to Greenpeace, "With thousands of chemicals already exempted from the requirement to provide any health and safety information, and with no systematic substitution for chemicals of very high concern, this overly compromised REACH will provide no real improvement to the current legislation."

But the MEP responsible for guiding REACH through Parliament, Italian socialist Guido Sacconi, said: "After years of an extremely difficult political process and intensive negotiations with the Council we are now close to a successful conclusion and adoption of the most ambitious legislation on chemicals in this world.

"Everyone should understand that it would be impossible to reach a better compromise."

A vote on the revised text by the whole Parliament is scheduled for 13 December in Strasbourg.

A deal on EU chemicals legislation REACH was struck late on Thursday night (30 November), greatly increasing the chances of final adoption by MEPs and governments before the end of the year.