ECHA Rejects Industry Call for Central SIEF IT Platform

ECHA Rejects Industry Call for Central SIEF IT Platform

~dREACH Update

~tECHA rejects industry call for central SIEF IT platform

~w2009-10-30

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has rejected a suggestion that it should set up a central IT facility to assist members of Substance Information Exchange Fora (SIEFs) gather information for registration dossiers.The European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC) proposed that ECHA should establish an IT platform to process data within SIEFs in order to help SMEs in particular meet the first registration deadline at the end of November next year. The proposal has been forwarded to both the European Commission and ECHA in the wake of a warning by CEFIC that SIEFs are struggling to gather the necessary data and that many companies may not be able to meet that deadline. The association believes that the creation of a central IT facility operated by ECHA will help ease the flow of information within SIEFs.“It’s an interesting idea,” says an ECHA official. “But we feel that developing an IT platform would not be the most productive use of our resources. We have already focused on supporting SIEFs through providing guidance and support – which is also in line with the REACH legislation. In particular, ECHA cannot participate in discussions between potential registrants.” ECHA believe that the number number of registrants needing to meet next year’s deadline will be much less than seemed likely earlier this year after the higher than predicted level of pre-registrations in late 2008. “(We are) now assuming that many pre-registrants may not register at all and that possibly less than 7%, around 9,200, of the almost 143,500 pre-registered substances will actually be registered by the November deadline in 2010,” the official says. “The number of registration dossiers which will be submitted for these substances remains uncertain. Until further information is received from lead registrants or industry associations, ECHA is using these estimates, together with other hypothetical scenarios, to plan for 2010.”

CEFIC is concerned about the poor communications between hubs of information within SIEFs, particularly those with a large number of members and those containing many SMEs. “Some potential registrants are using their own IT system or those of consultancies for the sharing of their data within SIEFs,” explained Alain Perroy, CEFIC’s director general. “Others are using CEFIC’s REACHLink system for data sharing while others are working through the IT facilities set up by substance consortia.”“With such a diversity of IT platforms there is little hope of members of SIEFs being able to come together with all their data,” he continued. “The only way to bring them together is to designate a central platform for the task.” The registration deadlines were set by the EU as part of the REACH legislation, he said. Now it was up to the EU authorities to ensure that there were sufficient IT resources available to ensure that these mandatory deadlines were met.“ECHA has a system within its REACH-IT computer platform for pre-registration and it has another one for handling registrations,” Mr Perroy added. “But ECHA does not have an IT module to cover the mandatory obligations for data sharing within the SIEFs. The lack of this central module is hampering the operations of SIEFs.”The agency notes that although the responsibility for making SIEFs work mainly rests with the companies, it has been making “considerable efforts” to assist with the formation of the forums. Lead registrants have been encouraged to notify themselves to ECHA so that the agency can give them targeted support. From 21 October, more than 1,890 lead registrants had indicated their nomination to ECHA. The official notes: “Interestingly, we are also informed by industry associations that lead registrants do not systematically inform us of their activities and that, in reality, the level of industry preparation for registration in 2010 is further advanced than these numbers suggest.”

Chemical Watch, 23 October 2009

<a href=" Update

~tECHA welcomes all stakeholders on 7 December 2009

~w2009-10-30

On 7 December 2009, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) organises its thirdStakeholders’ Day at the Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Centre, Finland. Up to 500participants can attend. In addition, the Day can be followed on the Internet either live via web streaming or following the event. Participation is free of charge. The aim of the day is to contribute to the development of a constructiverelationship, transparency and dialogue between ECHA and its stakeholders. As was the case with the pervious days, the programme is divided into three sessions, each followed by a Q&A:

1. Classification and labelling: ECHA will provide an update on the state of play of the new CLP regulation and the C&L inventory that will be established in 2011. Inaddition, industry will explain how companies are preparing to fulfil their duties.

2. REACH enforcement: ECHA will explain the activities of the Forum for Exchange of information on Enforcement. The European Commission and a MemberStaterepresentative will provide an overview of enforcement across the EU and at nationallevel.

3. Registration dossiers and compliance: ECHA experts and industry representatives will update the audience on best practice in preparing a registration dossier.

Registration can be completed via the Events section of the ECHA website. The Stakeholders’ Day is opento all but is particularly relevant for organisations working with REACH and CLP, industryassociations, companies, public bodies, NGOs, third country representatives and the media.

ECHA, 27 October

<a href=" Update

~tNational REACH and CLP helpdesks form a common network – Help Net ~w2009-10-30

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has announced that a new, joint network of REACH and CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging)helpdesks has been created and is called Help Net. The objectives of the network are:to provide consistent, harmonised answers and the best possible advice to industryseeking to fulfil their obligations under the REACH and CLP Regulations.

At the October 2009, the At REACH Helpdesk Correspondents’ Network(REHCORN) was expanded to also include the national CLP Helpdesks and they merged to form a singlenetwork called Help Net. ECHA provides the Secretariat for the network. A web-based ITapplication (Help Net Exchange) will be used by the network to enable discussions andensure that consistent answers are given across Europe.A Help Net Steering Group will consist of representatives of the national REACH and CLPhelpdesks of the 27 Member States, Norway, Iceland and ECHA. It will meet on a regularbasis to discuss issues of common interest, future activities and the functioning of theNetwork. The European Commission is an associated member of the network and themeetings of the Help Net Steering Group are also attended by observers. The new Help NetSteering Group replaces REHCORN which had been operational as the steering body of thenetwork of REACH helpdesks since April 2007.The Steering Group can invite representatives from candidate countries or stakeholderorganisations who host an EU wide REACH or CLP helpdesk as observers. Currently, sixindustry associations, along with Croatia and Turkey, are observers of the Help Net SteeringGroup meetings.

ECHA, 27 October 2009

<a href=" Update

~tREACH consortium announced for long-chain alcohols

~w2009-10-30

A new REACH registration consortium for long-chain alcohols (C6-C24) has been announced.The group will specifically register: alcohols C14-18, alcohols C10-16, docosan-1-ol, dodecan-1-ol, hexadecan-1-ol, icosan-1-ol, octadecan-1-ol, tetracosanol, tetradecanol, alcohols C12-16, alcohols C14-16, decan-1-ol, hexan-1-ol, nonan-1-ol, octan-1-ol, alcohols C6-12, decanol (branched), decanol (branched and linear), undecan-1-ol, alcohols C6-12, (Z)-octadec-9-enol, alcohols C16-19-branched, pentadecan-1-ol.

Chemical Watch, 28 October 2009

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