According to a report published by the NGOs ChemSec and ClientEarth on Thursday 8 March, the chemicals approval process in the European Union gives undue competitive advantage to companies which produce the most hazardous chemicals. It says nothing about the information on safer, alternative solutions, thus restricting market access for companies that produce less harmful substances.
The REACH regulation (1907/2006) on the registration, evaluation and limited authorisation of chemical products in the EU stipulates that, for substances for which risks cannot be controlled, approval should only be granted if there is a safer alternative solution and if the benefits of continued use outweigh the risks.
The ChemSec and ClientEarth report shows that the search for safer alternatives is left almost entirely to the companies that apply for permits. According to the study, these are the very same companies that have a huge economic incentive to be granted an authorisation, which is only given if no alternatives are found. The result is that, in some cases, authorisation has been given even though there are safer alternatives on the market.
This analysis of how the REACH regulation works was published at the same time as a Commission report points at failings in implementation of the European rules after ten years of practice (see EUROPE 11974). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)