EU's REACH law enters into force amid controversy

06/06/2007

The regulation on the Registration Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) continues to evoke controversy as it enters into force on 1 June. While the chemical industry appears ready to work with the new law environmental groups continue to lament what they see as its shortcomings. One of the longest sagas in EU legislative history the drafting and adoption of REACH took more than four years and was characterised by heavy lobbying from industry environmental and consumer groups. REACH has an impact on a variety of industry sectors from upstream chemicals manufacturers to downstream users of chemical products (see EurActiv's LinksDossiers on REACH and its implementation).
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