The REACH Regulation, i.e. Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), entered into force on 1 June 2007. The REACH Regulation replaces approximately 40 different regulatory instruments and it is binding legislation and directly applicable in all Member States.
The most important objectives of the Regulation are to ensure a high level of protection of human health and the environment, to enhance the competitiveness of the EU’s chemical industry, to promote the development of alternative methods for the assessment of hazards of substances, and to guarantee the free movement of goods in the single European market.
The means to achieve these objectives include registration of chemical substances, evaluation of selected substances, authorisation for substances of very high concern, and restrictions of chemicals as the safety net of the system. The system is based on controlling the risks associated with substances on their own, in preparations and, in some cases, in articles.
The REACH Regulation places the onus of controlling risks that chemicals may pose to health and the environment more firmly on the industry.
More information about the REACH Regulation is available on the website of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).