FOI reacts to proposed changes in EU chemicals legislation

In a letter recently sent to the Malta Standards Authority, the Federation of Industry stressed its opposition against the EU Commission’s proposals to change the chemicals legislation.
The FOI explained that it has examined the proposals of the EU Commission on the ‘so-called’ REACH system, "which purports to change chemicals legalisation in Member States and accession countries.
"The bureaucratic approach of the proposed REACH system is not acceptable," the FOI said: "We support the general objective of the proposal which seeks to enhance sustainable development, but there is already a problem of complexity with current legislation, which consists in almost forty legislative acts. There is a crying need for simplification, which the current proposals do not address.
"On the contrary they will contribute to an unacceptable increase in the level of bureaucratic procedures that SMEs will not be able to bear."
The FOI stressed that it was essential to carry out a careful analysis on all the commercial, social and environmental parameters before defining the tools for implementation of a new REACH system, "which must be designed to allow progress on the three pillars of sustainable development.
"The position of the FOI also highlights its views on the fundamental strategic aspects, which the FOI believes should be addressed, namely: the assessment of the impact of REACH on the European economy; the undesirable consequences of REACH; general proposals for improvements; specific comments of the Union of Industrial and Employers’ Confederation of Europe on the REACH proposal."