Revision of EU chemical legislation set to boost innovation, says Liikanen The new regulatory framework for chemicals looks set to improve conditions for innovation in Europe, according to EU Commissioner for Enterprise and the Information Society, Erkki Liikanen. The proposed legislation - named REACH - will require chemical manufacturers and imp... The new regulatory framework for chemicals looks set to improve conditions for innovation in Europe, according to EU Commissioner for Enterprise and the Information Society, Erkki Liikanen. The proposed legislation - named REACH - will require chemical manufacturers and importers to provide European regulators with basic scientific data for all chemicals produced in quantities more than one tonne. More extensive safety data will be required for chemicals produced in higher volumes, as well as those that are of special concern. Under the 40 different pieces of current legislation, chemicals introduced after 1981 have to be notified and tested in production volumes as low as ten kilograms per year. Many experts believe that this has inhibited research and development, stifled innovation and encouraged the continued use of untested chemicals from before 1981 because it is easier and less expensive. Speaking at a press conference on the REACH system on 30 October, Mr Liikanen said that increasing the threshold for registering new substances from ten kilograms to one tonne will not only generate more research and development on substances, it will also help make the EU chemical industry more competitive, and in turn, innovative. 'The reality is that without competitiveness there are no new jobs and we cannot invest in a better environment and better health services,' he said. 'Only competitive businesses can generate the resources for research and development and innovation. And innovation is needed for new and safer chemicals and processes.' Another incentive for research, included in the new system, is the lengthened trial period allocated for research and development activities. Instead of having only six years to test a chemical, companies will be exempt from registering a chemical for up to ten years. This period would be extended for a further five years for medicinal products. The aim of the framework is to develop a comprehensive approach to registering, evaluating and authorising chemicals in industrial processes, but also those in everyday consumer products, with a view to increasing the protection of human health and the environment from exposure to chemicals. Exempting certain polymers from registration, reducing information requirements, and removing the requirements to complete chemical safety assessments below ten tonnes are just some of the changes the Commissioner believes will help streamline the system. 'These changes have significantly reduced the burden on downstream users and are critical to encouraging manufacturers to maintain products on the market. This is vital for innovation in downstream industries,' he said. The proposed legislation will now be forwarded to the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers for adoption.
