Chemical Registration Program

The European Parliament has voted in favor of new rules on the use of hazardous chemicals. The legislation aims to force companies to register some 30,000 substances with a new agency.

Businesses will now have to prove that the chemicals they use and manufacture do not present a danger to human health or the environment. Up to now, public bodies had to shoulder the burden of proving that such products were dangerous.

Compromise deal

The so-called REACH regulation was approved on its second reading by an overwhelming majority of 529 votes to 98 and spells the end of more than three years of lobbying and wrangling.

Finland, which currently holds the EU presidency, hailed the yes vote.

"This is a historic day," said Finnish Trade and Industry Minister Mauri Pekkarinen. "The chemicals regulation will reform the entire EU chemicals legislation and will turn Europe into a global forerunner and trailblazer," he said.

EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said REACH would increase knowledge about chemicals, enhance safety and spur innovation while encouraging the substitution of highly dangerous substances by safer ones.

Loopholes

But the measures were not welcomed by everyone. Green lawmakers and environmental and women's groups said the final package was only a modest step in the direction of what was needed and still contained loopholes.

Campaigners were particularly unhappy that companies would not be obliged to substitute their chemicals with a safer alternative provided that they showed their substances could be adequately controlled.

Industry has also been a fierce critic of the measures because they are expected to significantly increase its regulatory burden. But the legislation passed on Wednesday is a much watered-down version of the original proposals.