By Brian Johnson - 22nd September 2005
Leaked documents suggest the European Commission is set to water down controversial REACH chemicals legislation, claim environmentalist campaigners.
An EU executive paper written for national governments, and seen by EUpolitix, appears to show the latest Brussels thinking on compromise amendments to REACH.
Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth argue the commission supports changes that would significantly reduce safety data requirements for chemicals produced in low volumes.
The leaked proposals, if adopted, would cut back on the need for test data on chemicals produced in the one to ten tonne quantity band – a move that would remove evaluation requirements for two thirds of the 30,000 chemicals that REACH was intended to cover.
“The commission's new paper overturns the principle of REACH for the great majority of chemicals. If this gets through, the risks of thousands of chemicals for human health and the environment will remain unknown, as they have been for decades,” said Nadia Haiama-Neurohr of Greenpeace.
According to the environmental groups, the document also suggests that a waiver option should be introduced that would allow similar exemptions for chemicals produced in larger quantities.
The proposals could end up moving the ‘burden of proof’ responsibilities envisaged in REACH back to public authorities instead of on chemicals producers, warned Haiama-Neurohr.
“REACH then would not only relieve producers of responsibility for their chemicals, but would also overburden the future EU chemicals agency with needless administrative steps to obtain even basic safety information about chemicals, which should be supplied at the outset,” she said.
The document has been presented to member states ahead of critical votes on REACH in the European Parliament and at councils of EU ministers.
“Verheugen has never made a secret of the fact that he is happier to defend polluters than protect human health and the environment,” said Aleksandra Kordecka of Friends of the Earth Europe.
“Now it would seem that he also holds the democratic process in contempt, with the commission attempting to interfere in discussions among member states and at the European Parliament.”
The contents of the leaked document mirror similar moves to amend the scope of REACH put forward by the European Parliament’s industry committee last week.
The European Commission has refused to comment on the leaked document.
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