Renew Europe urges the Commission to complete a swift and bold review of the REACH regulation

At the Renew Europe seminar 'Green innovation in chemistry through REACH' held this morning in Brussels, the liberal group in the European Parliament called for a swift and bold revision of the Regulation on the registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemicals (better known as REACH).

A revision of REACH is announced for this year. This makes the timing right for in-depth discussions with stakeholders on how to achieve green innovation in chemistry through REACH. The outcome of the debates this morning focused on the role of safe alternatives and the solutions that the European industry can provide to better protect citizens and the environment from harmful chemicals.

Chemicals have become part of our daily lives in all the goods we use, in the clothes we wear, the toys we buy and even in medical implants. But the flip side of this is that there is increasing evidence that some chemical substances are both toxic and persistent in the environment and that the effects of exposure can be a burden on our healthcare systems. That is precisely why Renew Europe is calling the Commission for an urgent review of its chemicals legislation. After all, it is time to fully commit to the use of safer and more sustainable chemicals, because only by doing so will the achievement of a competitive circular economy without pollution come within reach.

MEP Martin Hojsík, (Progresívne Slovensko, Slovakia) says:

"We urge the Commission to not to delay publication of REACH 2.0. beyond June 2023 as there would be no time left to finalize this long-awaited reform of the chemical legislation. The European industry needs a policy framework that will incentivize transition to safe, circular and less energy intensive chemicals and provide long-term predictability for investors towards sustainable innovations. The REACH 2.0. will ensure that our industry stays a global leader in safe and sustainable chemistry and that it is resilient in times of crisis. It will ensure an effective phase out the most harmful chemicals to keep our activities within the planetary boundaries."

MEP Véronique Trillet-Lenoir (Liste Renaissance, France) says:

"As a key component of the Green Deal and its zero-pollution ambition, the REACH regulation actively contributes to the implementation of the European Cancer Plan by further limiting the presence of harmful substances in our daily lives and to prevent diseases such as cancer. It is urgent to revise this regulation, to make it more health protective, more consistent and more effective. In this revision, the European Union must be ambitious and not give in to pressure from interest groups."