Brussels, 14/09/2006 (Agence Europe) - Taking the floor during Thursday's meeting of the committee on the internal market and consumer safety, Industry Commissioner Günter Verheugen called on the European Parliament to remain as “close as possible” to the Council compromise on the draft legislation on REACH chemical substances. “We must endeavour to conclude this dossier by the end of the year”, Verheugen said, before going on to say: “As a compromise is very hard to reach in Council, if we want legislation on chemical products that take account not only of consumer safety but also protection of the environment, then we must remain as close as possible to the Council's position, especially when it is a matter of registration and authorisation”. “I do not wish to be dogmatic but, if the Council compromise were to be amended, we would be heading straight for failure”, the Industry Commissioner warned. The proposal for a REACH regulation is to be examined in second reading this autumn.