Be at the centre of the action with Chemical Watch
On 14 October, the European Commission released its highly anticipated chemicals strategy for sustainability. It forms part of the European Green Deal, which was announced at the end of 2019, and it lays out more than 50 wide-ranging actions that will have a direct impact on industry and are listed for completion by 2024.
The impact of the new strategy cannot be overstated – it is the biggest shake-up to European chemicals policy since the introduction of REACH in 2007 and it will have a huge impact on industry for years to come.
Hear from Echa’s Executive Director Bjorn Hansen
The new chemicals strategy will play an important role in the European Green Deal – a set of policy initiatives by the European Commission with the overarching aim of making the EU's economy sustainable.
At the recent virtual conference, Key Regulatory Updates: Europe, Asia and the Americas, Bjorn Hansen, executive director at Echa, spoke about the role that chemicals will play within the Green Deal, and some of the main challenges facing Echa and industry in reaching the objectives set out in it.
Here is a short clip from the event – to view his full presentation, sign up to free membership of Chemical Watch.
Chemical Watch coverage of the strategy
Since the strategy’s release on 14 October, we have reported from a wide range of perspectives:
15 October 2020
The European Commission’s keenly-awaited and controversial chemicals strategy for sustainability, published on 14 October, lays out more than 50 wide-ranging actions that will have a direct impact on industry and are listed for completion by 2024.
22 October 2020
The European Commission’s response to today’s chemicals management challenges are as far reaching as the introduction of the REACH and CLP Regulations more than a decade ago, says Chemical Watch editorial director Geraint Roberts.
REACH will "most likely" be reopened to bind into legislation some of the actions the European Commission has set out in its new chemicals strategy, but the Regulation does not need to be "turned upside down", a senior official at the EU executive has said.
The long-anticipated EU chemicals strategy has sparked celebration from NGOs and disappointment from industry following its publication on 14 October.
15 October 2020
15 October 2020
15 October 2020
The European Commission will need to assess the "best regulatory route" to nail down some of the far ranging objectives set out in the new chemicals strategy, environment commissioner, Virginijus Sinkevičius, has told Chemical Watch in an exclusive interview.
Special Chemical Watch podcast: EU chemicals strategy for sustainability
22 October 2020
In this special edition of the podcast, editorial director Geraint Roberts talks to Cristina de Avila, head of unit, sustainable chemicals at DG Environment, Sylvie Lemoine, Cefic executive director of product stewardship and Tatiana Santos of the European Environmental Bureau. about the strategy's implications.
Europe's new chemicals strategy for sustainability, Canada's single-use plastic ban, Taiwan's proposed registration fees
20 October 2020
Global managing editor Kate Lowe is joined by editorial director Geraint Roberts, Asia reporter Ellen Daliday and North America managing editor Terry Hyland to discuss three of the week's biggest news stories.
Listen on Chemical Watch | Spotify | Apple Podcasts
Listen on Chemical Watch | Spotify | Apple Podcasts
Find out more from the Chemical Watch Podcast
Recent episodes of the Chemical Watch Podcast explore the strategy in more detail. You can listen via your favourite podcasting app or via the Chemical Watch platform – whatever suits you best.
What it means for you, your business and your products
- Environment ministers from ten countries sent an exclusive op-ed to Chemical Watch before the strategy was released, urging the European Commission to present an “ambitious” chemicals strategy. Read more
- Our Key Regulatory Updates conference took place on 14 October, on the same day the strategy was published. This allowed delegates to hear our speakers’ initial reactions, including thoughts from Echa executive director Bjorn Hansen. View Bjorn’s presentation
- Shortly after the publication of the new strategy, we ran an exclusive interview with EU environment commissioner, Virginijus Sinkevičius, who spoke to us about the goals of the strategy. Read more
Below you’ll find more examples of our recent coverage. If you’re not already a Chemical Watch member, sign up to free membership to get a taster of what you can expect.
Chemical Watch is uniquely positioned to help you make sense of the strategy and understand the implications of the many actions included within it. We have direct connections to European commissioners, European members of parliament and the European Chemicals Agency (Echa), as well as industry representatives and other stakeholders. In addition, our own experts have an in-depth understanding of European and global chemicals legislation.
Here are just a few examples of what you can expect from Chemical Watch: