On Thursday 12 November, the European Parliament approved the text of an agreement reached with the Council of the EU to strengthen the governance and funding of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) by 561 votes in favour, 13 against and 39 abstentions.
The agreement provides for a separate legal framework for the Agency, separating it from the REACH Regulation, under which it was originally established. The rules should enable ECHA to cope more effectively with its growing responsibilities (see EUROPE 13899/9).
The S&D Group, to which the rapporteur on this matter, French MEP Christophe Clergeau, belongs, believes that this text represents a “genuine change of direction in the management of chemical substances in Europe”. It will enable faster and more comprehensive risk assessments, whilst providing ECHA with a bigger budget and the flexibility needed to fulfil its responsibilities.
The text also allows for the Agency to second its own experts to the relevant national authorities to support Member States in the tasks they share with it. According to the S&D Group, this support should enable matters to be dealt with more quickly and provide better protection for health and the environment.
The text: https://aeur.eu/f/oda (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)