The Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC) is a European initiative launched in response to global and EU-level calls—such as the UN’s Global Environment Outlook and the EU Green Deal—for a non-toxic environment. This partnership addresses the pressing challenge of managing the risks posed by the estimated 40,000–60,000 industrial chemicals in global markets, many of which lack sufficient regulatory assessment. In the EU, over 60% of chemical volumes are hazardous to human health, and 35% to the environment, with limited data and inconsistent methodologies hindering effective risk evaluation.
PARC’s main purpose is to support chemical risk assessment and management by advancing regulatory science. It brings together 200 partners from 29 countries to:
• Develop harmonised methods for monitoring, hazard identification, exposure, and risk assessment.
• Integrate innovative tools like non-animal testing, computational models, and omics technologies.
• Improve the governance and use of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data.
• Bridge the gap between science and policy to ensure research informs regulation.
• Build capacity and infrastructure at both national and EU levels.
Aligned with the EU’s zero pollution ambition and the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, PARC also promotes Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) chemicals and materials, and is establishing an Early Warning System (EWS) for chemical risks.
The initiative has three strategic objectives:
1. Build a sustainable, interdisciplinary EU network to identify and address R&I needs in chemical risk assessment.
2. Conduct joint R&I activities aligned with regulatory priorities and emerging challenges.
3. Strengthen and expand platforms for knowledge sharing, methodological harmonisation, and training.
