Actors

 

The main actors in the evaluation process are:

Registrants

A natural or legal person established within the European Economic Area (EEA), manufacturing or importing a substance into the EEA at quantities of one tonne or more per year or who has been appointed as an only representative according to Article 8 of the REACH Regulation, can act as a registrant.

Role: REACH requires registrants to provide information on the intrinsic properties of a substance and to prove that their substance is used safely. The information required for each substance depends on the tonnage manufactured or imported; the higher the tonnage, the more information needs to be submitted. Submission includes a technical dossier and, for substances manufactured or imported in quantities of 10 tonnes per year or above, a chemical safety report.

Third parties

Third parties are citizens, organisations, academics, companies or authorities other than a registrant.

Role: Third parties may provide information on testing proposals involving vertebrate animals.

ECHA

Secretariat
The ECHA Secretariat are all employees that undertake work on registration and evaluation processes as well as the preparation of guidance, maintenance of databases and provision of information. ECHA secretariat also ensures a harmonised approach and coordinates the work done by the Member State competent authorities.
Role: ECHA Secretariat supports the Committees and the Forum by providing the best possible scientific, technical and regulatory services in an efficient and transparent way.
Member State Committee (MSC)
Member State Committee is a committee to which each Member State appoints one member for a renewable term of three years.
Role: The Member State Committee seeks unanimous agreement on the draft evaluation decisions These draft decisions are discussed and agreed upon by the Member State Committee in its meetings, or alternatively, agreement may be sought via written procedure.

Member States

The Member States are the representatives of the Member State competent authorities appointed by the Ministries of each Member State of the European Union.

Role: The Member States can comment on and propose amendments to ECHA's draft decisions.

They can also propose substances for substance evaluation.

European Commission

The European Commission is the executive of the European Union and promotes its general interest.

Role: All evaluation decisions made by ECHA must be unanimously supported by the Member States. If unanimous agreement cannot be reached, the European Commission has to prepare the draft decision to be taken according to the examination procedure [under Articles 5 and 13(1)(c) of Regulation 182/2011].