Registration

Manufacturers and importers must apply for registration of any chemical that reaches the one tonne per year threshold, whether the chemical is present as a chemical substance on its own, as part of a mixture, or as a substance or mixture released from an article. Since only individuals or companies established in the EU can submit REACH registrations, non-EU companies that wish to register a chemical substance need to do so by appointing an Only Representative (OR). The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is responsible for evaluating the information submitted for registration.

Restrictions

Each restricted substance has different conditions and scope of restrictions. For example, a hazardous substance itself may be prohibited from being placed on the EU market, or products containing it at a certain concentration may be prohibited. Annex XVII is a list of restricted substances, which is updated regularly.

Authorizations

The purpose of authorizations is to eliminate or effectively control the risks posed by chemicals, especially those that are harmful to human health or the environment. This process is divided into two main stages, each of which requires certain obligations for different stakeholders in the supply chain:

A substance has been identified as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) and is included in the candidate list. If an SVHC is present at more than 0.1% by weight, the information is immediately communicated to the recipients of the article in the supply chain. Consumers can also request this information from retailers, which must be provided within 45 days. SVHCs present in articles above 0.1% by weight and above 1 tonne per year must be notified to ECHA. The Candidate List is updated twice a year.

Substances listed on the Candidate List are preferred for inclusion in the Authorisation List (Annex XIV). Unless an authorisation has been granted, SVHCs on the Authorisation List cannot be used or imported into the EU after a specified date (known as the sunset date) unless the substance is used in and/or imported into the EU, and in articles manufactured in the EU. However, it does not apply to articles imported into the EU. The Authorisation List is updated approximately once a year.

All products manufactured in or imported into the EU must comply with all applicable REACH requirements. It is important to remember that compliance with one requirement does not exempt you from other requirements. For example, a product may need to comply with some restrictions in addition to the requirements associated with the Candidate List.