UIC – 29 & 30 May 2006

REACHREACHRegistration, Evaluation and Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of ChemicalsAuthorisation of Chemicals

View of the French Chemical Industry

Jean PELINJean PELINUnion des Industries ChimiquesUnion des Industries Chimiques

Bucarest - 29 & 30 May 2006Bucarest - 29 & 30 May 2006

UIC – 29 & 30 May 2006

Development of the new legislation - co decision process and timing

French chemical industry view on REACH

Preparing industry for REACH

Next steps

UIC – 29 & 30 May 2006

Development of the new legislation

Key Dates

February 2001 Publication of the White Paper

May / July 2003 Public Internet Consultation

29 Oct 2003 Commission Proposal COM(2003) 644

17 Nov 2005 European Parliament Resolution

14 Dec 2005 Council Political Agreement

Next steps

Council Common Position in June 2006

EP and Council 2nd reading by the end of 2006; Conciliation?

Adoption in March / April 2007?

UIC – 29 & 30 May 2006

CO-DECISION PROCESS & TIMING

REACH comes into force: 2007?

Communication from the COM on common position

Council political agreement

DEC 2005

EP first reading

NOV 2005

COM proposal 29 October 2003

EP approves Council common position

EP second reading

(absolute majority)

Act is deemed to be adopted EP proposes amendments to Council common

position

Commission’s opinion on EPs amendments

Second reading by the Council

Council does not approve the amendments to the common position

Council approves the amended common position:(i)By a qualified majority if COM has delivered a positive opinion

(ii)Unanimously if the COM has delivered a negative opinion

(3 + 1 months)

(3 + 1 months)

Act adopted as amended

Conciliation

6 + 2 weeks

YES

NO

YES

NO

Council Common Position

May/June 2006

UIC – 29 & 30 May 2006

French chemical industry view on REACH

The chemical industry has always supported the overall political objectives of REACH: protection of human health and the environment,

maintenance and enhancement of the competitiveness of the EU chemical industry

However the proposed system still has to be improved. Otherwise it will have a negative impact on the competitiveness of the EU chemical industry in the global market, on its contribution to the economic wellbeing of the EU and on its ability to finance innovation.

stressing at the same time the need for a risk-based and workable system.

UIC – 29 & 30 May 2006

Socio-economic impact: the French study

carried out by MERCER (2003, updated 2004) involving French authorities and downstream sectors

Four Business Case studies on electronics, textile, car accessories and iron and steel industry

Very strong impact on the whole industry and economy:

Direct costs of tests Indirect consequences on the whole supply chain:

Global impact in 10 years’ time: 1.6% of the French GDP (28 billion euros)

Loss of 360,000 jobs for the whole French economy

UIC – 29 & 30 May 2006

UIC key issues (1/2)

Make REACH simple, efficient and workable, in particular for SMEs, through a risk-based approach

OSOR: opting-out clauses on joint submission of information more workable; possibility to opt-out for sharing non-vertebrate animal studies

Agency: a Central Agency responsible for, and coordinate, both dossier and substance evaluation.

Authorisation/substitution: authorisation granted if risk is adequately controlled and with no time limit; substitution as a principle not as a systematic requirement

./..

UIC – 29 & 30 May 2006

UIC key issues (2/2)

Intermediates: no additionnal requirements (compared to the COM proposal) for registration of intermediates

CBI: protect know-how, intellectual property and Confidential Business Information; right to appeal

Duty of care: no reference to duty of care in either the recitals or the legal text.

A workable, coherent and user-friendly system enabling industry, Competent Authorities and the Agency to fulfill their

part of the task is the only way we will be able to realize the true benefits that we all stand to gain from a workable REACH on

improving human health and the environment.

UIC – 29 & 30 May 2006

Since October 2003

Telephone/e-mail answers to questions mainly from UIC members (on co decision process, scope, requirements…)

Awareness workshops at local level on behalf of UIC and local UIC associations: 5 a year (50 participants each time from Chemical Companies and Downstream Users)

2-day training sessions twice a year - 5th session in March 2006 (100/150 participants a day)

Dedicated courses (i.e. for a group of SMEs at local level…)

A few audits to evaluate the economic impact of REACH on business

From now on

Need to set up a structure to reinforce supporting actions toward Companies in providing early advice and tools to fulfil their duties under REACH

Preparing industry for REACH – UIC actions

UIC – 29 & 30 May 2006

Partnership between UIC and the French Ministry of Industry, with technical expertise from the Ministry of Environment

2006 - 2007

Public launch: 16 May 2006

Mainly SMEs from Chemical Industry and Downstream Users (painting and metallurgical industries, aeronautics… distributors)

Objective: 800 Companies

Issues covered : at first REACH… then GHS, SDS…

Joint initiative REACH & SMEs (1/2)

UIC – 29 & 30 May 2006

Proposed actions:

1. Raising awareness (half a day): to make companies aware of the challenges presented by REACH and of the need to prepare themselves (regardless of the area of activity, size of the company, its REACH status: producer, importer, downstream user, distributor)

2. Collective training (2 days): to help companies understand the requirements of REACH and to prepare key areas for its implementation by

defining action plans. 3. Training by supply chain: to help companies understand and evaluate the

specific impact of REACH and define a targeted action plan

4. Individual on site assistance for SMEs: to review the existing situation so that an SME can establish action plans for the actual implementation of REACH.

Tools / information to be made available: pedagogic kits, regular Newsletters, leaflets, list of laboratoires / organisms having expertise in testing / dossier constitution…

Numerous actions already planned in 2006 and 2007

Joint initiative REACH & SMEs (2/2)

UIC – 29 & 30 May 2006

Next steps: UIC

To continue to develop proposals for an improved and workable REACH at the edge of the 2nd reading

To reinforce/develop actions to help Companies to prepare themselves to implement REACH, in partnership with authorities and sector groups

to contribute with Trade Unions to a successful implementation of REACH in particular through sharing with other sectors the joint long experience on best practice

UIC – 29 & 30 May 2006

http://www.uic.fr

http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/chemicals

http://ecb.jrc.it/

REACH: more info - useful websites

6th training session on REACH: 28 & 29 June in Paris