European Commission takes forward work on restrictions on harmful chemicals

This roadmap is a major step forward in providing detailed information on all ongoing work on future restrictions under EU chemicals legislation. It gives priority to restrictions on substances that are most harmful to human health and the environment.

One of the actions foreseen in the strategy is a revision of the REACH Regulation and other relevant product legislation to ensure that consumer and professional products do not contain the most harmful substances. The Commission has started work on a revision of the REACH Regulation, as announced in the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. The review is being conducted jointly by DG Environment and DG GROW. The review will be carried out in the most targeted way possible, limited to the achievement of the objectives of the strategy, based on public consultations and subject to a full impact assessment. This will include an analysis of how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and innovation are affected. The review follows on from the Commission’s better regulation provisions. It will include an in-depth assessment of the possible impacts of possible changes to REACH on :

• The protection of human health and the environment;
• The use of animal testing;
• The functioning of the internal market;
• And the competitiveness and innovation of European industry and business.

The open public consultation on the REACH review ended on 15 April (total number of valid opinions received: 771). The impact assessment will be carried out this summer. The Commission will present a proposal for the revision of REACH by the end of 2022.