Results of two enforcement projects available

Results of two enforcement projects available

ECHA/NI/16/29

The Forum for Exchange of Information on Enforcement has finalised pilot projects on the harmonised classification and labelling of CMR substances and on child resistant fastenings of products.

Helsinki, 21 June 2016 – At its 24^th meeting from 14 to 16 June, the Forum discussed the final report of the pilot project on CMRs (substances that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction) and skin sensitisers.

In this project, inspectors investigated eight selected cases of potential non-compliance with the duty to apply harmonised classification and labelling in registration dossiers (Article 4(3) of the CLP Regulation). The cases were carefully selected by ECHA based on screening of dossiers. Out of the eight cases, half were found to be incompliant with the duty to apply harmonised classification and labelling. Legal action was taken in three of the cases.

All the registrants updated their dossiers following the intervention of the inspectors. In seven cases, the update was sufficient to bring them into compliance. The project report is expected to be adopted and published in summer 2016.

The main objective of the above project was to test a specific type of institutional interlink – the provision of information by ECHA to national enforcement authorities, to facilitate targeting of controls. Related to this, the Forum finalised a guide on interlinks describing the cooperation between ECHA and national enforcement authorities on 13 types of ECHA decisions, for example, those on dossier evaluation. This process works well and ECHA reliably receives information about enforcement actions in a reasonable time to complete its own dossier evaluation activities.

The Forum also discussed proposals for the subject of its sixth major coordinated project (REF-6) scheduled for 2018. ECHA's accredited stakeholder organisations have also submitted proposals. The final decision on the topic for the REF-6 project is expected at the next Forum plenary meeting in November.

The Forum agreed on the actions to take following the recommendations identified in the report of the REF-3 project on registrations. One of these actions will be a discussion at the next Forum open session with accredited stakeholder organisations (in November 2016) to address, in particular, the communication between only representatives and importing downstream users.

The Forum also adopted a final report of the pilot project on child resistant fastenings as required by the CLP Regulation. More information is available in the press release.