REACH Revisions May Be Delayed

The European Commission published its 2024 Work Programme and Annexes on October 17. The publication presents 18 policy initiatives and 26 proposals and initiatives to rationalize reporting requirements for businesses, according to the EC. It additionally proposes six withdrawal and 16 evaluation and fitness checks.

According to EC President Ursula von der Leyen, the publication puts a strong focus on simplifying rules for citizens and businesses across the European Union. It follows President von der Leyen’s commitment to reduce reporting requirements by 25%, in line with the Commission's strategy to boost the EU’s long-term competitiveness and to provide relief for SMEs.

Importantly, the publication made no mention of the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), the far-ranging regulations that impact chemical usage in the household and personal products industry.

In his closing statements of the European Parliament’s plenary session on Tuesday, Maroš Šefčovič, vice president of the European Commission, said that if a proposal was already announced in a previous Commission’s work program, it is not reannounced in the current one. With over 90% of the commitments made in the 2019 Political Guidelines delivered and just a few months left until the 2024 European elections, the new initiatives outlined in the Work Programme are limited to those still needed to deliver on the Commission’s commitments, or to tackle emerging challenges, according to the EC. 

“Amending REACH is a complex undertaking,” Šefčovič said. “Changes to the legislative framework would need to achieve a complex balance, significantly reduce health hazards and environmental damage from chemical pollution, but also address the chemicals of very high concern, while ensuring the availability of chemicals that are essential for the key green transition technologies, guaranteeing the level playing field with our international competitors.”

He explained the issues are being discussed in great detail.

“Given the complexity of the file, indeed it is possible that the REACH amendment will have to be taken forward in the next mandate,” Šefčovič said. “What we want to do is to prepare this file in great detail to make sure that we would complete all the necessary preparatory work and also to find the best possible timing for this proposal, which will take several years to approve — that it would be supported by the proper momentum.”