Be at the centre of the action with Chemical Watch
In October 2020, 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 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.
Chemical Watch coverage of the strategy
Since the strategy’s release, Chemical Watch has reported from a wide range of perspectives:
16 September 2021
Echa’s substances of concern in products (Scip) dissemination portal, which makes information submitted to the Scip database publicly available, is a "promising start" to raising awareness of SVHCs in articles, but the newly launched platform needs refining, European NGOs and waste industry associations have said.
EU chemicals strategy, US PFAS developments, CW survey findings
12 May 2021
In this episode of the Chemical Watch News, Europe desk editor Luke Buxton discusses the European Commission’s publication of two comprehensive "inception impact assessments" on the actions planned under the EU chemicals strategy, which pave the way for potentially significant changes to REACH and CLP.
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
- At our Key Regulatory Updates conference, which took place on the day the strategy was published, delegates heard 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 latest 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 Chemical Watch coverage:
Keep up to date with the information and skills you need
The EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability: One Year On
Get a thorough understanding of the REACH Regulation during this two-day training course. Find out how the world’s most comprehensive chemicals regulation is relevant across industry sectors and walk away with practical guidance on how to meet your obligations.
Spaces on this course are strictly limited, so make sure you secure your place now to avoid disappointment.
1-2 FEBRUARY 2022 | TRAINING COURSE
EU REACH for Chemical Compliance Professionals
Chemical Watch News and Insight members have unlimited access to all our coverage of the EU chemicals strategy.
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Listen on Chemical Watch | Spotify | Apple Podcasts
This edition of the Chemical Watch news podcast sees North America managing editor Terry Hyland, Europe editor Luke Buxton and business editor Leigh Stringer join news editor Charlotte Niemiec to discuss the latest developments in chemicals management across the globe.
01 April 2021
US new chemicals, Echa funding problems, H&M Group on safe and sustainable by design
The EU detergents Regulation could see stricter requirements for surfactants and more substances fall under its scope, or even be repealed and incorporated in other chemicals legislation, according to a European Commission inception impact assessment (IIA) that outlines potentially significant changes to the law.
23 September 2021
03 November 2021
Changing the way cosmetic ingredients are assessed for safety in the EU will have a "remarkable impact" on trade with third countries, non-EU representatives of the cosmetics industry have warned.
The European Commission has revised its draft restrictions roadmap – a rolling list of substances to be prioritised for bans to fulfil commitments made under the EU chemical strategy – clarifying its objectives and pushing back the timelines on some of the most imminent restrictions.
11 November 2021
12 October 2021
Removing the REACH authorisation process would mean the loss of a "very powerful tool" for pushing substitution, Echa head Bjorn Hansen has said, adding to a chorus of voices against the European Commission’s idea of erasing it from the legislation.
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s (WBCSD) product portfolio assessment methodology could help inform the EU’s safe and sustainable by design (SSbD) criteria, Cefic’s director of sustainability said at a Chemical Watch conference this week.
21 October 2021
30 September 2021
A large international team of scientists is proposing a global framework to harmonise human biomonitoring (HBM) studies to allow regulators to make good use of data.
An EU draft implementing Decision identifying resorcinol as an SVHC based on endocrine disrupting effects is trapped in limbo amid continuing objections from several member states, forcing the European Commission to seek alternative ways to push its controversial decision through, Chemical Watch has learned.
30 September 2021
26 October 2021
Ruxandra Cana and Simon Tilling of Steptoe & Johnson consider the prospect of widening gaps between the two parallel regulatory regimes, and the implications for the global chemicals sector
The EU’s plans to adopt new hazard classes and amend existing ones under CLP, ahead of such changes being agreed at the international level, risks causing global deviations on chemicals safety, according to Liisi De Backer, Cefic’s product stewardship manager.
28 October 2021
Polymers and Microplastics: How is the EU Regulating Them?
Get an understanding of how the regulatory landscape for polymers and microplastics is about to change in the EU under REACH regulation, which obligations are relevant now and what is on the horizon. By the end of this one-day course, you will know:
- how polymers are regulated in the EU;
- how the EU plans to regulate polymers in the near future;
- what to expect for microplastics in the near future; and
how to stay updated.
| TRAINING COURSE
| TRAINING COURSE
Scip Database: Obligations for Articles and REACH Basics
Get a thorough understanding of the REACH framework for articles, including how to legally define an article and how to discuss borderline cases; and gain insight into the background, role and relevance of the substances of concern in products (Scip) database. This training course is limited to 25 delegates only, giving you the opportunity to put your questions to the trainer and progress your own compliance strategies.