Report on the Operation of REACH and CLP 2016

In linea con l'articolo 117, paragrafo 2, del regolamento REACH, ogni cinque anni l'ECHA presenta alla Commissione europea una relazione sul funzionamento dello stesso Regolamento REACH. L'Agenzia inserisce nella relazione "le informazioni sulla trasmissione comune dei dati a norma dell'articolo 11 e una rassegna delle spiegazioni formulate per trasmettere separatamente le informazioni.

This is the second five year report the Agency has produced on the implementation of the REACH and CLP regulations. 

It shows that since our previous report in 2011 the operations of REACH and CLP have effectively steered companies towards manufacturing, formulating, importing and using industrial chemicals more safely.

This constitutes significant progress towards meeting the aims of the Regulations, namely providing a high level of protection for human health and the environment, whilst promoting alternatives to vertebrate animal testing.

There are also encouraging signs that this has happened whilst innovation continues and the competitiveness of industry is maintained. Despite the gains, there are areas that need further effort to ensure they are working as the legislator intended. In our previous report we identified problems with the quality of the information being provided by companies in their registration dossiers.

This aspect is critical to the success of REACH and CLP, since adequate and reliable information is the foundation of all of the other REACH and CLP processes. We are pleased to see that the quality of information in registration dossiers has improved, but there is still work to be done, as well as ensuring that information consistently flows along supply chains, ultimately to consumers.

In collecting REACH and CLP-generated information on chemicals, ECHA has moved from a data-gathering organisation to a knowledge management one, in which an integrated regulatory approach is taken to managing the various REACH and CLP processes.

This integrated approach is founded on screening all information from the various databases that the Agency manages to trigger risk management measures particularly for ‘substances that matter most’ for safety. It also puts us in a position to gradually map the ‘universe of registered substances’ over the years to come. Looking to the future a lot of efforts are currently being made to ensure that the final 2018 REACH registration deadline is a success.

ECHA has put in place its REACH 2018 Roadmap, with a particular emphasis on the needs of small and medium sized companies, which are likely to comprise a large proportion of new registrants. Mobilisation of industry for this deadline has begun, but more needs to be done as many have not yet started their preparations.

Beyond 2018 we must remember this deadline is not the end of the story. As changes occur in the chemicals market companies need to keep their dossiers up-to-date. The most innovative and front-running companies integrate in their business strategies the provision of high quality information on their substances and keep it updated to ensure their substances can be used safely. Industry and authorities will also need to face up to recognised challenges posed by nano-materials, endocrine disrupting chemical properties, or the combination effects of hazardous substances.

Finally, I would like to thank the European Commission, Member State Authorities, our Accredited Stakeholder Organisations and ECHA staff for their contributions to achieving the ambitious objectives of the REACH and CLP legislation.

ECHA 2016