What you need to know about EU Chemical Strategy 2030

The European Commission announced the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability on 14th October 2020, as a key commitment policy to the European Green Deal. The ambition of the European Green Deal is to ensure climate neutrality and circular economy by 2050. The chemical strategy is considered one of the most important parts of the Deal, since it ensures safer environment and health. The strategy is anticipated to have a very large impact on chemical industries related to the EU market.

The European Commission recognises the importance of chemicals for better and higher living standards, however given the hazardous properties of chemicals it has been considered of importance to implement further actions in making chemicals safer and more sustainable. The Strategy’s goals can be divided into two groups:

The goals for increased protection of health and environment, which among others include:

- Phasing out harmful substances form consumer products

- Substituting substances of concern in all products,

- Ensure information access on chemical content and its safe use for producers and consumers.

Goals that boost innovation for safer and more sustainable chemicals, which among others include:

• A financial support in ensuring safe and sustainable-by-design chemicals,
• increase enforcement of EU regulations,
• Simplification and accessibility of EU legal framework by the ‘One substance one assessment' process for the risk and hazard assessment of chemicals
• playing a leading role globally by championing and promoting high standards and not exporting chemicals banned in the EU.

At the Chemical Watch conference “Global Chemicals Management towards 2030 and beyond”, the ECHA Executive Director Bjorn Hansen described the Chemical Strategy as “welcomed by ECHA”. Hansen states that the strategy is anticipated to eliminate regulatory information barriers and enhance the reuse of data collected under different regulations. Furthermore, a more harmonized chemical’s database is expected to greatly facilitate the research processes for scientists in Europe. According to Hansen the Chemical Strategy 2030 is intended to review, revise, and clearly articulate the existing policies and enhance efficiency within the chemical regulatory framework.

The ambitious chemical strategy might lead to a “reopening” of the EU REACH. Some central European countries have expressed their worry regarding the potential “reopening”. Their main concern is that excessive amendments to REACH regulation, in relation to the Chemical Strategy, may lead to pressure on the industries. There are more than 50 action plans laid out to be taken before 2024, as a part of the implementation of the strategy. An introduction of new hazard classes for the CLP Regulation is, for example, expected to be implemented already this year (2021).

The final conclusions regarding the strategy’s implementation are, however, expected to be clarified in March at the next Environment Council meeting. The general support of the strategy by the member states nevertheless predicts a general smooth implementation of the strategy.

Update: 2021-01-29