LEGISLATION
A new dawn for REACH
After years in the making, June saw the REACH legislation come into force.
David Bowe looks at the hurdles ahead as the implementation phase kicks in
O
n 18 December 2006 the president for parliamentarians and other stakeholders? environmentally can hardly be underestimated.
of the European Council, Finnish What was the final outcome of the legislative REACH is a radical overhaul of existing
Prime Minister Matti Vanharanen, process? What prospects are there for a chemicals’ legislation – it reverses the burden
and the European Parliament refinement of the REACH chemicals legislation? of proof, placing it on the shoulders of industry.
President, Josep Borrell, signed the final REACH What will happen after REACH? It will be up to industry to provide evidence for
legislative text, closing the doors on virtually a the safety of its products before they can be
decade of heated debate. The REACH proposal has caused extensive marketed.
debate in the European Union and its member
But that is not the end of the story of REACH; states, but also outside the union. Most of NGOs and industry lobbied MEPs hard, right up
much remains to be done, as there are still the debate has focused heavily on the costs of to their vote on a make-or-break compromise
many problems to resolve in order to achieve REACH. Given the sheer number of substances package on 13 December. In the end they
a practical and workable piece of legislation. and their application in all industries, the adopted REACH quickly by a five-to-one
What are the outstanding issues of importance impact of REACH, both economically and majority.
www.agrow.com  •   July 2007 9
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