The European Commission circulated a set of draft REACH revision ‘simplification’ documents in the April Competent Authorities meeting, marking the final phase of internal discussions on the long-awaited legislative update. Part of the European Commission’s Clean Industrial Package, a final legislative proposal is expected by the end of this year.
Key Proposals Concerning Registration and Evaluation:
- Revoke registration numbers from non-compliant companies and limit registration validity to 10 years
- Require registration dossier updates for Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs)
- Delete Annex III (criteria for substances registered in 1 – 10 tonnage band) and XIII (standard information requirements for substances at above 10 tonnes), and modify several others
- Streamline dossier evaluations and strengthen the impact of compliance checks, and
- Introduce a registry for coordinating substance evaluation, including justifications for substance grouping
Plans for Authorisation and Restriction:
- Inclusion of a substance on the Candidate List would not only lead it to the authorisation pathway, it could also be considered for restrictions
- Prioritise authorisation for high-volume substances with fewer users and uses
- Introduce upfront analysis and discussion of regulatory options for authorisation and restriction, and enable them in parallel for different uses, and
- Require data on use, exposure, and alternatives earlier in the processes
The Commission also suggested expanding the Generic Risk Management (GRA) approach and shared plans for digitalisation, supply chain communication simplification and enforcement.
Next Steps and Timelines
April 2025: Consultations with competent authorities, other key stakeholders
By July 2025: Commission impact assessment is expected
By November 2025: Commission legislative procedure and adoption, followed by submission of comitology proposal
November-December 2025: Final eight-week consultation
Published May 9, 2025
This article was generated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence.