News

Give comments on four authorisation substitution plans

Stakeholders are invited to provide relevant and science-based information on the substitution plans of four applications for authorisation covering uses of chromium trioxide and the curing agent MOCA. The deadline is 18 November 2020 (23:59 Helsinki time).

The information received during the consultation will help the Committee for Socio-economic Analysis (SEAC) evaluate the credibility and completeness of the substitution plans. This is expected to be finalised by June 2021.

Based on SEAC's evaluation, the Commission will then decide whether to grant or refuse the authorisation.

Give comments | News

REACH

Checks of chemical safety reports postponed

We are further postponing the manual completeness checks on chemical safety reports that was foreseen to start in November 2020. The postponement is due to the financial situation that forces us to review our planned work for 2021. We will inform you later more precisely about when the these checks are expected. The chemical safety report is a key source of information and companies should an any case make sure that it meets the legal requirements.

News | Webinar | Guidance | Manual

Webinar: Restriction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under REACH

29 October 2020, 13:30 – 15:30 CET

Join our webinar to learn about the REACH restriction process and the status of the work of five European countries on a potential restriction of all per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

The webinar will be published on our home page on 29 October 2020 at 13:30 CET (GMT+1) together with instructions for joining a live Q&A session where experts from national authorities and ECHA will be answering your questions until 15:30 CET.

Webinar | News | Hot topics PFAS

Investigation report on analytical methods to measure PAHs in consumer articles

The report evaluates new scientific information on available analytical methods for measuring the content and migration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in plastic and rubber articles – taking into account the availability, practicality and cost of these methodologies in commercial labs.

It also reviews alternative low-PAH raw materials used to manufacture these articles and gives advice on the validity of current PAH content limits in articles covered in paragraphs 5 and 6 of entry 50 of Annex XVII to REACH, in the light of new scientific information.

Report

European Commission launches consultation on REACH information requirements

The Commission is looking for comments on its intention to update the data requirements for identifying and assessing endocrine disruptors, and to clarify certain aspects of the legal texts.

The deadline is 16 November 2020.

Give comments

Consultations on testing proposals

We have launched 26 new consultations on testing proposals. The deadline for comments is 3 December 2020.

There are currently 55 open consultations on testing proposals.

Give comments

Substance evaluation conclusions published

Six new substance evaluation conclusion documents are now available for:

1-(4-methyl-2-nitrophenylazo)-2-naphthol (EC 219-372-2, CAS 2425-85-6) added to the CoRAP list in 2019 and evaluated by Germany;
1-[(2-chloro-4-nitrophenyl)azo]-2-naphthol (EC 220-562-2, CAS 2814-77-9) added to the CoRAP list in 2019 and evaluated by Germany;
1-[(2,4-dinitrophenyl)azo]-2-naphthol (EC 222-429-4, CAS 3468-63-1) added to the CoRAP list in 2019 and evaluated by Germany;
propargite (EC 219-006-1, CAS 2312-35-8), added to the CoRAP list in 2019 and evaluated by The Netherlands;
tert-butyl perbenzoate (EC 210-382-2, CAS 614-45-9) added to the CoRAP list in 2013 and evaluated by Italy; and
reaction mass of 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol and 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenol (EC 907-745-9; CAS -), added to the CoRAP list in 2015 and evaluated by Belgium.

Community rolling action plan | Substance evaluation

CLP

Consultation on harmonised classification and labelling

We are looking for comments on the harmonised classification and labelling proposals for:

silver (EC 231-131-3, CAS 7440-22-4);
benzyl alcohol (EC 202-859-9, CAS 100-51-6); and
hydrogen sulphide, hydrogen sulfide (EC 231-977-3, CAS 7783-06-4).

The deadline for comments is 18 December 2020.

Give comments

Board of Appeal

Decision published on appeal against follow-up compliance check decision

In Case A-001-2019, the Board of Appeal dismissed an appeal against an ECHA decision taken under Article 42(1) of the REACH Regulation in a follow-up to a compliance check decision.

In its decision, the Board of Appeal dismissed the appellant’s claims that ECHA had breached its right to be heard and had made an error of assessment in rejecting the weight-of-evidence adaptation that the appellant had submitted in response to the initial compliance check decision.

The Board of Appeal also decided that, in the follow-up compliance check decision, which was rightfully based on Article 42(1), the Agency was not required to set a new time limit for the appellant to provide the information identified as missing from its dossier.

Decision

ECHA

Have you read the final issue of ECHA Newsletter?

In the September issue you can read, for example, how the European Commission has clarified the meaning of ‘without undue delay’ related to registration updates under REACH and how enforcement and customs authorities can work together to check if imported products comply with certain REACH and CLP obligations. If you are preparing poison centre notifications, check also the article explaining the amendments that could help you meet your obligations.

With the September issue, we say goodbye to the Newsletter but we will continue delivering in-depth articles to you as part of our news packages next year. Stay tuned.

ECHA Newsletter

Court of Justice dismisses action on the classification of anthraquinon

On 15 October 2020, the Court of Justice dismissed in its entirety the action brought by the company DEZA a.s. against a judgment of the General Court of 24 October 2018.

This earlier judgment from the General Court had upheld the European Commission’s decision to classify the substance anthraquinone (EC 201-549-0, CAS 84-65-1) as carcinogen, category 1B. The General Court had considered that neither ECHA’s Committee for Risk Assessment nor the European Commission had committed manifest errors of assessment in the decision making process leading to the classification of the substance.

The Court of Justice held that the General Court did not make any error of law when upholding the European Commission’s decision.

Judgment

Guest corner

How dangerous are e-cigarettes?

Modern, cool, and less harmful to health? At the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), experts have been studying e-cigarettes since 2008. The basic principle of the electronic cigarettes is simple: vapourising the ingredients instead of burning them. But is this alternative to smoking safe? BfR’s conclusion is clear: e-cigarettes are not without harm, writes Dr Elke Pieper from BfR in our latest Guest Corner contribution.

Guest Corner: Mysterious vapour

Maintenance

Online dossier preparation in REACH-IT temporarily not available

Due to the IUCLID update, online dossier preparation in REACH-IT will not be available between Friday 23 October 2020, 17:00, and 16 November 2020, 10:00 (Helsinki time, EET). Submission of downstream user notifications of authorised uses will not be possible during this period.

In the meantime and for the rest of the submission types, you can prepare your dossier in IUCLID (Cloud, desktop or server versions – available on the IUCLID 6 website) and upload it in REACH-IT.

Prepare a IUCLID dossier | IUCLID 6 website | REACH-IT