EU CHEMICALS STRATEGY

The main objective of the new EU Chemical Strategy is to ensure a high level of protection for human health and... 

The ideas behind the adoption of a new EU chemicals strategy was laid out in a 2001 EC Communication on a Strategy for a Future Chemicals Policy (COM (2001) 88). This document took stock of the system that existed at the time and called for a new strategy based on a system for the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals - REACH. The Communication set out seven objectives that needed to be balanced within the overall framework of sustainable development ... 

Rogers, M. D. (2003a) Risk analysis under uncertainty, the Precautionary Principle, and the new EU chemicals strategy. Regulatory Pharmacology and Toxicology 37, 370-381. 

By focussing on filling the gaps in hazard data for chemicals on the EU market, the European Commission White Paper for a future EU Chemicals Strategy completely overlooked four fundamental questions, developed in Box 5.2. 

E. Mclvan, Presentation for the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection and the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments, New EU Chemical Strategy Stakeholder Consultation Conference, Department for Environment,... 

On 13 February 2001 the European Commission adopted the much-discussed White Paper Strategy for a Future Chemicals Policy (a. 10). The current EU chemical control measures were considered to result in too great a disparity between new and existing substances, with the high cost of new substance notification stifling innovation. Furthermore, although existing substances account for >99% by volume of chemicals in commerce, they were considered to be relatively poorly assessed and controlled in comparison with new substances. 

A decision by the European Parliament to put restrictions on the use of six phthalate plasticisers ignores scientific risk assessments and threatens the basis for Reach, the impending European legislation on chemical strategy. The Strasbourg parliament has voted to ban DEHP, DBP and BBP in children s toys and childcare items. DINP, DIDP and DNOP will be banned from use if the toys or items can be put in the mouth by children. An EU scientific risk assessment said children were not at risk from DINP in toys. A similar study in the US by the Consumer Product Safety Commission reached the same conclusion. European Commission... 

The general public policy approach to technology, discussed in the previous chapter, can be seen in the attitudes of the UK government and the EU Commission towards synthetic chemicals. The UK government s chemicals strategy (DETR, 1999) and the European Commission White Paper on chemicals (CEC,... 

In the UK chemicals strategy the statement The Government is very concerned that we do not have adequate information about the hazards of most chemicals released into the environment in large quantities is emphasized in bold in section 1.7 (DETR, 1999). The EU strategy states that The lack of knowledge about the impact of many chemicals on human health and the environment is a cause for concern (CEC, 2001, p4). The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution held an inquiry into chemicals that reported in 2003. They consider that our failure to understand the interactions between synthetic chemicals and the natural environment, and most of all our failure to compile even the most basic information about the behaviour of chemicals in the environment, is a serious matter (RCEP, 2003, pi). 

The REACH Regulation creates a single system for both existing and new substances. All substances are covered by this Regulation, unless explicitly exempted from its scope. The strategy of REACH is to ensure a high level of chemicals safety and a competitiveness of the EU chemicals industry.65 The benefits of the REACH system will come over time, as more and more substances are phased in. The objectives that were balanced within the overall framework of this sustainable development were... 

Select Committee on Science and TechnologyRelevant documents Within REACH, the EU s new chemicals strategy—Sixth Report from the Science and Technology Committee, Session 2003-04, HC 172-1, and the Government s response thereto, 7th Special Report, Session 2003-04, HC 895, Westminster Hall, Thursday 9 September 2004, 9 Sept 2004, Column 357WH, HC, UK House of Commons, London, UK, 2004. 

J. de Bruijn, The EU Interim Strategy for Management of PBT and VPVB Substances, Presentation at Thirteenth Meeting of the UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum, 2003. 

White paper on a strategy for a future EU Chemicals Policy... 

Objectives of the EU Strategy for a Future Chemicals Policy REACH... 

EES A. 2006. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) website. http /www.efsa.europa.eu EU. 2000. Communication from the Commission on the Precautionary Principle. Brussels, 2.02.2000, COM (2000) 1. http /ec.europa.eu/dgs/health consumer/library/pub/pub07 en.pdf EU. 2001. White Paper on the Strategy for a Future Chemicals Policy, http //ec.europa.eu/consumers/ cons safe/prod safe/other EU/chem policy en.htm... 

European Commission. 2001. White paper. Strategy for a future chemicals policy, http // europa.eu.int/comm/environment/chemicals/0188 en.pdf (accessed December 2, 2003). 

Anon., white paper, Strategy for a Future Chemicals Policy(COM(2001)88 final, 2001, www.europa.eu.int/ comm/environment/chemicals/whitepaper.htm... 

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