What can my company do?

Create an inventory of all substances or substances

in preparations or articles fulfilling REACH criteria you
export to the EU. Check the website of the European
Chemicals Agency to find out if the substances or uses in
your inventory are exempted from the registration under
Where can my company turn
for further information?
The “About REACH” section on the website of the European
Chemicals Agency gives an overview of the Regulation.
REACH
THE NEW EUROPEAN
REACH.
Identify for each substance on its own or in a formulated The website also provides:
CHEMICALS LEGISLATION
product the likely volume band per EU importer.  A Navigator tool which will assist importers and Only
If a chemical substance in these inventories is imported Representatives to find out their obligations and how
into the EU ≥ 1 tonne/year it needs to be pre-registered and to fulfil them
registered by the EU importer or your Only Representative  Extensive guidance on REACH provisions
to ensure uninterrupted exports.
 IT tools for REACH uses and how to operate them Information for exporters
Consult the website of the European Chemicals
Agency for information on the Regulation and study the
 Frequently Asked Questions to the European Union
guidance on relevant REACH duties.
If you can not find sufficient advice by consulting
Prepare data and information for your EU importers or the Navigator, guidance documents or Frequently
Only Representative. Asked Questions on the website you should consider What should your company know?
consulting:
 Your EU importers: they are good sources for
information on sector specific issues
What information is required  The National helpdesk in the country of your EU
importer or your Only Representative (contact details
for a registration? are available on the website)
What is REACH?
The Regulation sets different information requirements The REACH helpdesk of the European Chemicals Agency REACH is a new European Community
(e.g. on hazards, use conditions & exposure) for chemicals will assist with: Regulation on chemicals and their safe use.
manufactured or imported in different volume bands. It deals with the Registration, Evaluation,
 Questions regarding the registration of substances,
The hazard information of a chemical substance must be Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical
 The IUCLID5 tool and gives substances. The new Regulation entered
shared among all registering companies in so-called SIEFs
(Substance Information Exchange Forum).  Advice to companies in Third Countries into force on 1 June 2007.
If a company uses data owned by another company, the
The ECHA website can be accessed at:
data owner is entitled to compensation.
New data should not be generated by testing on http://ec.europa.eu/echa/
vertebrate animals without an agreement from the
European Chemicals Agency.
European
Commission
Does REACH affect companies
outside the European Community?
No – but your exports may be concerned if you or
What has changed in the EU regarding What are the timelines?
your customers export chemicals management? Between 1 June and 1 December 2008 EU-manufacturers
 chemical substances (e.g. base chemicals, speciality and EU-importers need to provide some limited information
chemicals, metals, natural substances if they are REACH introduces an obligation to send a registration, on each existing (so-called phase-in) substance for
chemically modified) with some exceptions, to the European Chemicals pre-registration with the European Chemicals Agency.
Agency (ECHA) for chemical substances on their own or This will allow companies to benefit from extended
 or mixtures (“preparations”) of chemical substances
in preparations, which are manufactured in or imported registration deadlines (2010, 2013 & 2018) depending on
(e.g. cleaning products, formulated process chemicals,
into the EU in quantities of ≥ 1 tonne per year by any the substance and its volume band.
paints, motor oils)
company in the European Community. The obligation
 or substances or preparations in containers (e.g. printer If an EU importer or your Only Representative fails to meet
applies in certain cases also to substances in articles.
cartridges). the deadline for pre-registration, he can not benefit from
Failure to register will mean for a company that it is no
the extended registration deadlines and will need to
 or articles which contain substances which are longer allowed to manufacture the substance in or import
register the substance before importing it again into the
intentionally released during their use (e.g. fragrance it into the EU.
EU market.
in a scented candle)
 or contain substances which are on a candidate list of REACH also introduces some changes to supply chain Substances which were not pre-registered but are
“substances of very high concern”. This list may become communication. These include a new Safety Data imported for the first time into the EU after
available at the website of the European Chemicals Sheet format, communication of safe use information on 1 December 2008 (end of pre-registration deadline)
Agency from autumn 2008. chemicals which do not need a Safety Data Sheet, and may benefit from the staggered registration timelines if
new information obligations on articles which contain the information requested for pre-registration is provided
to any of the following 27 European Union (EU) Member substances of very high concern. within 6 months of first import into the EU and no later
States: than 12 months before the relevant registration deadline.
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Registration obligations and how to fulfil them are
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland,
explained in detail in the REACH guidance documents on
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Malta,
the website of the European Chemicals Agency.
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
and United Kingdom

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For imported products, REACH obligations must be fulfilled by Pre-registration

the EU importers who will have to rely on their suppliers in
Third Countries for hazard data and safe use information
Set-up of European
Chemicals Agency

Registration of :
that is required for a registration.
≥1 tonne/year CMRs (carcinogens, mutagens or toxic to reproduction)
If you would prefer to register on behalf of your EU importers, ≥100 tonnes/year very toxic to the aquatic environment
the Regulation allows Third Country manufacturers to appoint a ≥1000 tonnes/year
company established in the European Union to act as their Only
Representative. An Only Representative will have to carry out ≥100 tonnes/year
the registration of substances on their own, in preparations or in ≥1 tonne/year
articles on behalf of the exporter he represents.
New substances