Chemical assessment in Europe to be streamlined under new legislation

New European legislation introduced on 1 January is set to improve chemical assessments across the EU with the aim of better protecting human health and the environment.

The European Commission’s ‘one substance, one assessment’ (OSOA) package tackles the subject from a number of angles. In addition to focusing on enhancing the consistency, transparency and efficiency of assessments, it also seeks to improve risk identification, regulatory decision-making speed, and industry and regulatory collaboration.

As part of this the legislation puts in place a new, centralised public common data platform on chemicals that is expected to be operational within the next three years. The available data will cover various EU laws and include information, such as databases that provided standardised formats, processes and product inventories, as well as alternatives to substances of concern, and environmental sustainability-related data.

The platform will be managed by The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), working in collaboration with other EU bodies including European Medicines Agency (EMA), and enable consistent scientific assessments by agencies with the most appropriate expertise and tools.

Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Economy, explained that the new framework “will make it easier to access reliable data, strengthen our scientific cooperation, and improve the EU’s ability to anticipate and manage chemical risks”.

Alongside this, the package includes a monitoring and outlook framework for chemicals to detect emerging chemical risks earlier.

The two other acts within the package are a Regulation re-attributing technical tasks and improving cooperation among EU agencies and a Directive on the re-attribution of technical tasks to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

Dr Sharon McGuinness, ECHA’s Executive Director, said: “The OSOA package represents a significant step towards a more efficient chemical safety system in Europe. By joining forces with our partner agencies and authorities, we will create a system that anticipates risks, and brings together existing knowledge, and supports innovation. Our shared goal is clear: a safer, more sustainable Europe through collaboration and science-based action.’’