Chemicals

Latest news, background information and web links about the European Union's chemicals policy

Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability

The European Commission adopted on 14 October the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability.

Endocrine Disruptors: Commission Communication

The European Commission adopted on 7 November a Communication outlining its strategy to address the problem of endocrine disruptors, with the aim of protecting consumers against harmful chemicals which change our hormonal system.

Neonicotinoids

Neonicotinoids are active substances used in plant protection products to control harmful insects, which means they are insecticides. The European Commission closely monitors the possible relations between bee health and pesticides and is determined to take the most cautious approach possible to protect bees.

Ten years of REACH - Commission review

The European Commission proposed on 5 March actions to facilitate implementation of 'REACH', the key EU law on chemicals, which has made significant contributions to enhancing the protection of human health and the environment and promoting alternatives to animal testing.

Endocrine disruptors

EU Member States representatives voted on 4 July in favour of the European Commission's proposal on scientific criteria to identify endocrine disruptors in the field of plant protection products. This is seen as an important step towards greater protection of citizens from harmful substances.

Glyphosate not classified as a carcinogen by ECHA

ECHA's Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) agrees to maintain the current harmonised classification of glyphosate as a substance causing serious eye damage and being toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects. RAC concluded that the available scientific evidence did not meet the criteria to classify glyphosate as a carcinogen, as a mutagen or as toxic for reproduction.

Chemicals companies

Chemicals companies in Europe

Chemicals and the EU

Latest news and information on the chemicals sector in the European Union.

Protection against exposure to hazardous chemicals

The European Commission has proposed to better protect workers from risks linked to exposure to chemicals at the workplace.

Chemicals and the European Union

Latest business news about Chemicals and the European Union. REACH is the European Community Regulation on chemicals and their safe use. It deals with the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances. The law entered into force on 1 June 2007.

Fish-friendly laundry and dishwasher detergents - guide

Washing powders and dishwasher detergents will need to be almost phosphate-free in future, following a vote in the European Parliament on Wednesday. The measures aim to protect aquatic life in waterways and seas around the EU.

Chemicals: CLP legislation, guidance and archives

The Classification, Labelling & Packaging (CLP) Regulation is the EU commitment to implement the United Nations Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). On 1 December 2010, all chemical substances were due to be classified and labelled according the new system. Compliance for mixtures is due by June 2015.

ECHA Tenders

Ongoing calls for tenders by the European Chemicals Agency.

Search for chemicals companies in Europe

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals companies in Europe

Chemicals deadlines - guide

The chemicals deadlines: REACH places the responsibility on industry to manage the risks that chemicals can pose to human health and the environment. The REACH registration deadline is 30 November 2010. Companies have also to notify by 1 January 2011 the classification and labelling of the substances they place on the market to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), who will publish the information in the Classification & Labelling Inventory.

Chemicals - CLP/GHS - Classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures

CLP is the Regulation on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures. This Regulation aligns previous EU legislation on classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals to the GHS (Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals). Its main objectives are to facilitate international trade in chemicals and to maintain the existing level of protection of human health and environment. The GHS is a United Nations system to identify hazardous chemicals and to inform users about these hazards through standard symbols and phrases on the packaging labels and through safety data sheets (SDS).

Chemicals Guides

Guides on the EU policy on chemicals.

EU governments bury their head in the sand over Europe’s most dangerous chemicals

At least five national governments are failing to protect citizens and aquatic ecosystems from a highly toxic, gender-bending industrial chemical, according to a new Greenpeace report. Such disregard over nonylphenol (NP) is typical of their attitude towards other dangerous water-based chemicals, said Greenpeace.

Registration and authorisation for safer chemicals in the EU - briefing

European Commission Vice President Tajani and Commissioner Potočnik on 25 March announced EC action to make progress towards the registration of chemicals and the management of substances of very high concern. This memo focuses on action being taken for European companies, in particular for SMEs, towards the approaching deadline of 30 November 2010 under REACH. It also provides background information regarding substances of very high concern and authorisation, where substantial progress has been reached.

European Chemicals Agency

The Agency, located in Helsinki, Finland will manage the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction processes for chemical substances to ensure consistency across the European Union. These REACH processes are designed to provide additional information on chemicals, to ensure their safe use, and to ensure competitiveness of the European industry. In its decision-making the Agency will take the best available scientific and technical data and socio-economic information into account. It will also provide information on chemicals and technical and scientific advice. By assessing and approving testing proposals, the Agency will minimize animal testing.

REACH - Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals

REACH is the Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. It entered into force on 1st June 2007. It streamlines and improves the former legislative framework on chemicals of the European Union.

Chemicals Reference Documents

EU reference documentation related to CLP (the Regulation on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures) and specific chemicals.

Competitiveness in the European Chemical Industry

Since industrial competitiveness is of central importance for the Commission, on the basis of the Communication "Implementing the Community Lisbon Programme: A policy framework to strengthen EU manufacturing" a High Level Group on the Competitiveness of the European Chemicals Industry in the European Union was set up.

CLP: Regulation on classification, labelling and packaging

The CLP is an EU regulation which sets the rules for classification and labelling of chemicals. It aims to determine whether a substance or mixture displays properties that lead to a classification as hazardous.

EU Enterprise and Industry Contacts