REACh

Introduction * Basic Information

Basic information

REACH is the largest environmental and health-political set of regulations which the EU has launched. This results in a comprehensive re-structuring of the European chemicals legislation. REACH was adopted in December 2006 after a legislation procedure of many years; it was published on 30 December 2006 in the Official Journal of the European Union (No. L 396) as Regulation 1907/2006/EC. An edited version of the REACH Regulation was published (EU Official Journal L 136) on 29 May 2007. REACH will gradually come into force in all Member States; the first part already came into force on 1 June 2007.

The acronym 'REACH' stands for the four independent basic elements of the system:

Registration
Evaluation
Authorisation
Chemicals and/or substances

The regulation has a comprehensive scope which covers all manufactured, imported, put into circulation or used substances as such or under certain conditions in preparations or articles. Explicitly excluded from the scope are in particular: radioactive substances, substances under customs supervision or in transit, non-isolated intermediates and waste.

In certain cases there are exemptions from registration, evaluation and authorisation

In view of the comprehensive duties resulting from REACH for nearly all companies, an immediate and intensive preparation for the implementation of the regulation into the practice is recommended. We will support you in this process.

Legal texts

Revised Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006
concerning the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals (REACH),
establishing a European Chemicals Agency,
amending Directive 1999/45/EC and
repealing Regulation (EEC) No. 793/93, Regulation (EC) No. 1488/94, Directive 76/769/EEC as well as Directives 91/155/EEC, 93/67/EEC, 93/105/EC and 2000/21/EC

Revised Directive 2006/121/EC
amending Directive 67/548/EEC on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances in order to adapt it to Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006

Reading reference

An introduction to REACH worth reading with a plausible presentation of the complete REACH process, understandable explanations of the individual basic elements, explanations of the various duties of the individual REACH actors can be found on the homepage of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in the brochure 'ABOUT REACH'.

List of questions and answers of the EU Commission (July 2007).

Presentation 'REACH im Überblick' by Suzanne Wiandt, BAuA.

Explanations and abbreviations on REACH can be found on the helpdesk of the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA).


Weiterführende Dokumente