Noticias - EU: REACH for a healthier Europe: the second half kicks off
The Environment Committee held their opening debate on Wednesday on the second reading of the REACH regulation on the registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals. The rapporteur believes the Council's position is a balanced one and that a deal can be struck by the end of the year. However, his report seeks to restore some key amendments from first reading and does not rule out the option of adding others during the negotiations to come.
The Council's common position on the REACH regulation, adopted on 27 June, takes on board 180 of the 430 amendments approved by Parliament at first reading, including the main ones concerning the registration and evaluation of chemical substances.
Finland's Environment Minister, Jan-Erik Enestam, who came to the committee's meeting to present the program for his country's presidency of the EU, told MEPs that Helsinki wants a decision at the second reading and is "ready to look at feasible solutions to strike a deal with Parliament" before the end of its six-month term of office. His colleague in charge of industry and trade, Mauri Pekkarinen, underlined this point. The Environment Committee is currently scheduled to vote on Mr Sacconi's recommendations for second reading on 10 October, with the plenary vote to follow in mid-November.
The EU-Digest reported: "For the health and the safety of the EU population it is important this legislation gets past. Lobby groups from the Chemical Industry are working feverishly at the EU Parliament and Commission to convince them otherwise and are sparing cost nor effort to torpedo this new EU-wide legislation. The lobby efforts are supported by the US which issued a joint press statement with 12 other satellite nations calling for drastic changes to the proposed legislation, known as the Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (Reach), arguing that the measures would harm developing countries and small businesses trading in the EU.
"The reason why the US is upset about this legislation is that the new approaches to chemicals management embodied in the REACH program and the United Nations Strategic Approach to Chemicals Management (SAICM, which was adopted on February 6, 2006 and is a voluntary rather than binding agreement) will affect American businesses in three critical ways. First, the far-reaching jurisdiction of REACH and SAICM over the manufacture and import of chemicals and products containing chemicals could dramatically affect American businesses that manufacture or import to the E.U. Second, the philosophical approach behind these initiatives and the E.U.'s stated goal to export REACH worldwide could affect all exporting American businesses regardless of whether they export to the E.U. Finally, REACH and SAICM may also influence how the United States regulates chemicals domestically."
"European Parliamentarians are urged not to cave in under the pressure of the Chemical Industry or the US. Let us not forget - the Chemical Industry has one major motive: to make a profit. Industry currently uses thousands of chemicals, in products ranging from foods, shampoo to cars, that have not been tested for their effect on human health and the environment. The protection of the Public against environmental hazards, dangerous food additives and putting a stop to the promotion of unhealthy chemical enhanced foods through false advertising is essential and will benefit mankind for years to come. European Parliamentarians must stand united on this effort. "
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