EU Chemicals Policy White Paper

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EU Chemicals PolicyWhite Paper

• Presentation to the 2001
• DICIDA Conference
• Neil Harvey, Head of Regional Affairs

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Confidence in Chemicals
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Why did we embark on Confidence in Chemicals?

• Response to growing concerns on the health and
  environmental impacts of chemical substances
• Attempt to be proactive and influence future
  legislation in Europe
• Aim to restore public confidence by
  demonstrating sound management of chemicals

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Review of EU Chemicals Policy

• Deals with chemical products, not operations
• Process started in Spring 1998
• Response to public concerns
• General recognition that key aspects of current
  EU legislation are not working effectively

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Current EU Legislation

• Dangerous Substances Directive 67/548(subsequent
  amendment Notification of New Substances)
• Marketing and Use Directive 76/769
• Dangerous Preparations Directive 88/379
• Existing Substances Regulation 793/93

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Timetable

• February 2001 White Paper
• May/June 2001 Council Conclusions
• November 2001 EP Report
• Spring 2002 (?) Draft legislation
• End 2004 (?) Legislation

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Proposal Overview of REACH

• REACH Registration, Evaluation, Registration of
  Chemicals
• Single system for new and existing substances
• All substances above 1 tonne/year/manufacturer
  (ca 30,000)
• Estimated testing costs 2.1 billion euros
• Expanded European Chemicals Bureau
• Public database of non-confidential information

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Proposed Control System
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Proposed Timetable

• Registration
• All substances gt 1000t by end 2005
• All substances gt 100t by end 2008
• All substances gt 1t by end 2012
• Evaluation
• Substances gt 1000t by 2008
• Substances gt 100t by 2012

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What does CIA Support?

• The overall concept
• Intelligent testing
• Recognition of international data
• More responsibility for industry
• Inclusion of downstream sectors
• Reduced testing requirements for new substances

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What Are CIA Concerns?

• Impact on international competitiveness
• Feasibility
• Timing
• Bureaucracy EU vs. MSs
• Fees
• Authorisation process
• Animal testing

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Major Issues

• Sustainable development
• Cost sharing/intellectual property
• Competitiveness/finished products
• Downstream users

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What next?

• Manufacturers to assess impact on scope of
  product range, costs, admin burden, customers etc
• Downstream users to check future availability of
  ingredients and on confidentiality implications
• Politicians need to understand that the resulting
  directive is going to be prescriptive and will
  change the nature of the chemicals market. Only
  registered/evaluated substances can be traded,
  including intermediate chemicals that never reach
  the consumer market