Brussels, 10/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - The new regulation concerning the use and marketing authorisation for biocidal products in the interest of human and animal health and environmental protection has been formally adopted. Its adoption by the Council was without debate, on Thursday 10 May, on the sidelines of the Education Council.
The text will guarantee that only safe products (insecticides, disinfectants and repellents but not medicines or agricultural pesticides) will be made available and that the most dangerous substances will not be allowed authorisation on the EU market. The regulation, based on the precautionary principle, creates a true internal market for biocides through an EU-wide authorisation procedure, and the principle of mutual recognition of authorisations in order to reduce the burden of red tape on producers. It integrates the single definition of nano-materials proposed by the Commission in October (see EUROPE 10476). It is believed that implementation will enhance the scientific and technical influence of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). ECHA is expected to deliver 80 opinions in 2014 and around 300 in 2020. (AN/transl.jl)