Framework for Chemical Risk Management under REACH

Since 2008, the EU system for the Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) has begun impacting companies across the world. Today, efficient and effective implementation of REACH continues to depend on the inter-action of Member State regulators during EU decision-making. This is the result of past political debates surrounding the legislation being narrowly focused on mechanisms for conducting hazard assessments. To facilitate EU decision-making, Framework for Chemical Risk Management under REACH presents a possible framework for risk management under REACH. As a first step, the regulatory approaches of four prominent countries in EU decision-making are analysed and compared: France, Germany, Sweden and the UK. On the basis of 36 interviews conducted with regulators and stakeholder representatives, the study examines how these Member States influence EU chemical regulation, and vice versa.