New plan emerges to simplify costly REACH legislation

Date: 25/11/04

By Anna McLauchlin

THE MEP preparing the internal market and consumer protection committee's position on chemical legislation REACH has drafted changes to the way chemicals are registered under the proposal.

German centre-right deputy Hartmut Nassauer, from the European People's Party (EPP-ED) will present his findings next Thursday (2 December).

According to the document, REACH would be significantly less costly for companies if the registration criteria were linked to the risk involved in a chemical's use rather than the quantity imported. As it stands, the proposal will require companies to register any chemical imported into the EU in the volume of one tonne or more per year per manufacturer or importer.

“I am looking at other systematic approaches to the chemical policy which would give risk-oriented categories for substances rather than the tonnage requirement of the European Commission,” Nassauer told European Voice. “It would mean a dramatic change in the costs and time needed for the registration process.”

But the MEP said the shift in focus would not lead to a reduction in consumer protection. “The proposal would have exactly the same goals for consumer health. It would simply be applied in a more practical way,” he explained.

Swedish ALDE MEP Lena Ek, REACH rapporteur for the assembly's industry committee, said that first reading in the Parliament would be delayed until next Autumn, probably September. “It [clearly] cannot be before,” she said. “But Parliament should not wait longer, uncertainty is devastating for industry and consumers.”

She will present her report in late January and the internal market and environment committees - the other lead committees - will do so in early Spring.

Article reports that the MEP preparing the position of the Committee for Internal Market and Consumer Protection on chemical legislation (REACH) has drafted changes to the way chemicals are registered under the proposal. German centre-right deputy Hartmut Nassauer, from the European People's Party (EPP-ED) is to present his findings on 2 December 2004. According to the document, REACH would be significantly less costly for companies if the registration criteria were linked to the risk involved in a chemical's use rather than the quantity imported.