ECHA supporting Montenegro and Serbia to prepare for EU chemicals laws

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), on behalf of the European Commission (EC), is running its fifth project under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). These projects are targeted at assisting European Union (EU) candidate countries to prepare for the obligations of EU membership, in this context specifically regarding chemical safety regulations. They have the overall aim to equip candidate countries with the knowledge necessary to fully participate in the implementation of EU chemicals policy and, in the responsibilities that ECHA shares with MSCAs.

Since 2009, ECHA has implemented four IPA projects focused on explanatory and training events for the authorities of Montenegro and Serbia. The Agency's main goal is to provide technical support to develop these countries’ understanding of ECHA's regulatory activities and facilitate the alignment of their national legislations with the EU regulatory framework.

To increase the impact of ECHA’s general support activities (such as site visits, specific training and participation in ECHA events), the Agency has contracted an in-depth assessment of the legal and institutional capacities of both countries.

The main challenges lie with the limited financial, human and IT resources currently available for the accession countries to implement and enforce the REACH, CLP, BPR and PIC regulations. The study recommends strengthening the administrative capacity of the national authorities, ensuring enough financial resources to implement and enforce the legislation, facilitating cooperation with academia as well as increasing communication activities and IT capacity. 

The national plans outline several actions for Montenegro and Serbia as well as EU Member States and ECHA ahead of a future membership. ECHA stands ready to continue supporting the countries through training and capacity building on risk assessment, IT security and tools, and enforcement.

Last update: 2021-03-31